Identity Crisis
by hypershay
Summary: Identity is what you are. It makes you, simply you. On a quest to hunt for her true identity, she encounters countless amounts of people to find out who she really is. One of them is Aizen. Aizen Sosuke. Copyright to me, hypershay. Naruto and Attack on Titan ideas used belong to their rightful owners. Rated T for language and some gore.
1. Ichi

3rd Person's POV

"Another day of school... Huh, Rukia?" Ichigo sighed, his arm near his shoulder, hanging his bag in hand.

"Yes. I wonder what today will be like." Rukia said, her deep onyx eyes looking straight ahead. Ichigo's carrot colored hair blew gently in the soft wind as he let out a soft sigh.

Keigo, Chad, Inoue, Ishida and others would be waiting for him... He wondered what Kon was doing.

Ichigo finally arrived and sat down at his seat next to Rukia's.

Ms. Ochi slammed her book on top of her desk to get the class's attention. The class went dead silent as she spoke.

"Good morning! Today I have some good news for you all!" She barked.

"What good news...?" Ichigo sighed, his chin resting on his hand.

"You can come in!" Ms. Ochi said towards the door.

The wooden door slid open and footsteps could be heard. Suddenly, an immense spiritual pressure was inside, letting Rukia, Ichigo, Chad, Inoue and Ishida feel it.

A girl entered the classroom, who seemed way younger than a sophomore in high school, a juice box in her hand.

"This is Rumi Minamoto. She's a transfer from America, but she can speak Japanese and other languages." She said. The class whistled and applauded at the new girl. The five of them exchanged nervous glances.

The immense spiritual pressure was coming from _her._

_Who was she?_

* * *

Ichigo's hand fell from his chin and slapped softly against the desk.

"Want to introduce yourself?" Ms. Ochi asked.

"My name is Rumi Minamoto, as she just told you. I'm fourteen, and I started school early; I'm probably the youngest in this class. I was born here but I moved to America soon after. I came back here to learn more about the culture I was born into." Rumi said, smiling softly.

The boys in the room began to marvel at her explanation and applaud loudly. Rumi giggled softly, then turned to her teacher.

"Rumi, welcome to Karakura High. You'll sit next to Orihime- san, the girl with orange hair." Ms. Ochi said.

"Hai. Thank you." Rumi smiled and walk over to her seat. She turned towards Orihime and gave her a soft, gentle smile.

"Hello, Orihime- san. I'm Rumi Minamoto. Nice to meet you."

"N-nice to m-meet y-you too." Orihime stuttered, overwhelmed by her spiritual pressure.

Ms. Ochi turned from the blackboard and looked at the orange haired girl.

"Orihime, you don't look so good. Neither do you four, Ichigo, Rukia, Ishida, Sado..."

"I'm fine, I'm fine!" Orihime brushed it off.

"Well, okay. Now, enough with the introductions; let's get to work!"

Ichigo stared at Rumi for the entire class period, and so did the other four. It was getting quite difficult to breathe with her immense spiritual pressure, and the five began to sweat slightly.

It was only when she left the room they could breathe.

* * *

Ichigo let out an exhausted gasp and leaned back into his chair. The five huddled near his desk to talk about the new girl.

"What's with her reiatsu? It's so strong... It's almost like Zaraki's at full power." Rukia analyzed.

"And her name too... Rumi Minamoto... It's unique." Ishida said.

"Who is she?" Sado asked, his deep voice calm.

"I don't know. But let's keep an eye out for her."

* * *

Rumi was on the rooftop of the school, feeling the breeze. Her wavyish curly rust-colored hair flew gently in the wind. Her pale green eyes never left the cerulean colored sky; it was as if she was in a trance.

"And her name... It's unique."

"Who is she?"

"...Let's keep an eye out for her."

Rumi smiled, hearing all these things spreading out between the five. She sipped on her juice, making the lovely noise that others hated. With the straw in between her teeth, she smiled, her mouth curving upward slightly.

Things were starting to get interesting.

_Very_ interesting, indeed.


	2. Ni

The school bell rang loudly, indicating that the school day was over. A juice box in her hand, Rumi made her way out of school campus and towards her home. Swinging her mahogany-brown bag around and juice box in hand, she walked home.

Her spiritual pressure maintained its greatness, and it attracted her fellow classmates: Ichigo, Rukia, Orihime, Chad and Uryu.

Rukia and Ichigo followed her closely, Ichigo in his Shinigami form.

Rumi drank her juice, humming a song as she continued to walk. She was walking to the edge of town, near Urahara's Candy Shop. She passed by it, and walked even further in.

"Man! How far does she live?" Ichigo complained, following right behind her. He jumped in front of her, waving his large hand in front of her face. Rumi continued walking, as if she couldn't see him.

"Baka! Move out of the way! What if she sees you?!" Rukia scolded.

"It's fine. She can't see me- Oh! She finally stopped!" Ichigo said.

Rumi had stopped in front of a run- down apartment located on the very far edge of Karakura.

"She lives here...?" Uryu asked.

"Wooooooow!" Orihime gasped.

Chad looked at the apartment complex up and down.

Rumi took out her keys and unlocked the door. Before going in, she stopped, her hand frozen on the doorknob.

"Why did she stop?" Ichigo asked.

Rumi turned and looked at Ichigo straight into his brown eyes.

She turned her head slightly to the left, as if she was studying something. Ichigo's breath got stuck in his throat, and he couldn't move.

She turned back around and slammed the door shut.

Ichigo let out a sigh of relief as Rukia smacked him.

"Idiot! She noticed! You're so stupid..."

Rumi watched from her bedroom window, hearing and seeing the commotion outside. She chuckled softly, drinking apple juice from her juice box.

She closed her window with a smack, and walked downstairs to the piano room.

Shinji, Love, Hiyori and Lisa were inside, sitting down or leaning against something.

"What's with you four today, nya?" Rumi asked, the straw in between her teeth.

"How was your first day?" Shinji asked, a playful smile on his face.

"Boring. Although I met two Shinigami, a Quincy, and two others with spiritual abilities. Karakura town has some serious business. No wonder you chose this place, nya." Rumi grinned.

"Of course. We will get revenge on Aizen, and those five, plus you, will help us tremendously." Love said.

Rumi rolled her eyes. "Yeah, okay. I'm hungry. Lisa, wanna get food with me, nya?" Rumi asked.

"Sure. Let me get changed. You should change too." She said, her voice stern. Her lieutenant mode probably hadn't worn off yet... After all these years. Maybe she had nostalgia.

Rumi ran to her room and changed into a pair of jeans, a t shirt, sweater and some Converse. The World of the Living had so much stuff you needed. Rumi squished a bunch of cash into her pockets and put her phone inside also. She and Lisa left the apartment, locking the door.

They made their way towards the center of Karakura, where all of the markets were. Passing by Urahara's Candy Shop once more, they quickened their pace.

Lisa hated going outside into the World of the Living. Only Shinji and Rumi enjoyed it. I guess that's why the Visored called them "Twins". Before they arrived, Rumi shifted forms, turning herself into a gray tabby cat. She perched herself onto Lisa's shoulder and purred.

Lisa petted her and chuckled, but focused her mind on buying groceries and snacks. Rumi meowed at the things she wanted and hissed at the ones she didn't want.

"C'mon, Rumi. That's the twentieth time you've hissed while we were here!" Lisa said, exasperated.

"I don't like it, that's why. You've bought enough vegetables and stuff. I want some kitty snacks and human snacks. Gooooo, nya!" Rumi meowed. She meowed, but Lisa could understand. Rumi could've also just talked to her, but they were surrounded by people; and having a cat on someone's shoulder was weird enough already.

Lisa snorted, but got multiple cans of kitty food and snacks as well as some normal ones.

They left the market and walked towards home. Rumi walked beside her, seeing that Lisa was tired of having her on her shoulder.

Halfway there, Runi sensed something.

"Do you feel that, nya?" Rumi asked, her tenor voice ringing through her small cat body.

"Yeah. It's a Hollow."

"Want to get rid of it, nya?" Rumi asked.

"Sure. It'll kill some time." Lisa said.

Rumi grinned, showing off her killer canines.

"You first or shall I, nya?" Rumi asked, her legs coiled up, ready to spring.

"Doesn't matter. Whoever gets to it first gets to kill it."

"Sounds good. Then this one's mine, nya~"

Rumi landed on top of a Hollow's head in an instant, after she spoke, and clawed its head, making it disappear into the sky.

"There's three more, nya!" Rumi yowled to Lisa.

"I know!" She was taking down a Hollow to her left.

Rumi sprung from a rooftop to another Hollow's body, clawing at it. Its arm was sliced off, spewing blood everywhere on her gray pelt.

"Ah, come on! I just washed it, nya!" Rumi hissed, annoyed. She leaped into the air and clawed at the Hollow, cleansing it.

Lisa had dealt with the rest and Rumi landed on a brick plate on top of someone's rooftop.

"I'll go and get this washed off. You go ahead and continue without me, nya." Rumi said.

Lisa nodded, then used Shunpo to go home. Rumi leaped from rooftop to rooftop, towards the lake at the large park. She arrived in front of the park and trotted her way towards the lake.

Ichigo and Rukia had seen them fight. The girl with glasses and braids, and that gray tabby cat. The cat'a voice was a tenor, and they were sure it wasn't Yoruichi. Yoruichi was black with yellow eyes. This cat was a gray tabby with jade eyes.

Very familiar jade eyes.

Is that cat... No. It couldn't be. Rukia thought. Only Yoruichi-san could do that.

Ichigo looked at his friend's frowning face. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Just thinking." Rukia said.

"Let's follow them. Their powers are unbelievable. You follow the braided girl and I'll follow the cat." Ichigo suggested.

"No. We'll both follow the cat. I think the cat was more of a leader than the girl."

Ichigo nodded and they began chasing for the cat. The cat was fast and nimble, making it hard for them to tail it.

They finally found it, bloodstained, walking towards the lake.

"Why's it going to the lake?" Ichigo asked.

"Probably to wash off the blood." Rukia commented.

Rumi leaped over the fence gracefully and walked over to the lake. She slid into the icy cold water, the water washing off her reddened fur instantaneously.

She swam and dunk in her body multiple times before turning her head towards the two Shinigami that were watching her.

"It is rude to peek on someone who is bathing, nya." Rumi said, her tenor voice ringing.

Ichigo and Rukia stumbled out of the bushes, blushing and red.

"H-how long have you known that we were here?" Rukia asked.

"Ever since I stopped the Hollows. You two sure are noisy, you know. Especially the orange haired. He can't even control his reiatsu, and he's a Shinigami, nya." Rumi said, her jade eyes bored.

"Oh." Rukia and Ichigo scratched their heads in shame.

"Anyways, perverts, I'm done. Go back to your business. See ya, nya." Rumi used Shunpo, escaping the two. She had transformed back to her original form and took a better shower, wiping herself clean.

She looked at the files of papers in front of her, while drying her hair.

Ichigo Kurosaki.  
Sixteen years old.  
Substitute Soul Reaper  
Zanpakuto name is Zangetsu...

Rukia Kuchiki  
Adopted into the Kuchiki household.  
Lieutenant of Squad 13 under Captain Jūshiro Ukitake  
Zanpakuto name is Sode no Shirayuki...

Rumi smiled at the files, a juice box in her hand.

"Interesting, nya..."


	3. San

3rd Person's POV

A few days passed since Ichigo and Rukia saw the little mishap with the braided girl and the tabby. Rukia went back to Soul Society, on another mission and wouldn't be back for some time.

Ichigo arrived at school. He only had to use the bathroom excuse once to go and cleanse a Hollow. But tonight, he was called once more. The Hollow detector beeped annoyingly, and Ichigo pressed his palm to it, dividing himself between his body and his soul. He did the same for Kon, letting the mod soul use his body.

"Thanks, Ichigo! Take your time!" Kon waved as Ichigo disappeared out of the window.

Rumi was walking around, feeling bored. Shinji was out doing something for Hiyori, and Lisa didn't want to play with her. She sighed, but she caught the presence of a Hollow.

A particular Hollow.

She raced towards it, running across the sky, due to her abilities. She wasn't dressed most comfortably, but her school uniform would do. The spiritual pressure increased as she got closer. She could hear an annoying voice along with three watched from above as the Hollow continued to taunt the orange haired kid.

_Wait...___

_Isn't that Ichigo?_

"Waaaait!" Ichigo yelled.

_No... That wasn't him. It must be his mod soul. What's he doing out here in Ichigo's body? No wonder the Hollow came after him...__  
_  
She continued to watch. She sat down, still hovering over the air, unnoticed. Suddenly, an unknown reiatsu filled the air. She looked around, and saw a blinding light. She winced slightly, lifting her arm to cover the bright light. When it faded, her eyes widened at the sight.

It was him.

His father.

_What was he... Was he a Shinigami?__  
_  
_Why are there so many Shinigami here?!_ She thought, annoyed.

She watched the short fight, then another man appeared. He was dressed in black and green, with a striped hat and cane. The six talked, then they disappeared, only to have Ichigo arrive moments later after they'd vanished. Rumi rubbed her forehead as she walked back to her apartment.

_So many things going on at once... Arrancars... Seems like Aizen is making his move. Better tell Hiyori and the others._

She arrived at the building and busted into Hiyori's room.

"Oi! I told you not to do that!" She yelled. Rumi grinned, sipping some juice from her juice box.

"I have interesting news, nya!" Rumi grinned.

"What is it?" Hiyori asked, annoyed.

"I'm surprised Shinji hasn't told you yet. I saw an Arrancar yesterday. It seems Aizen might be ready soon, nya."

Hiyori turned her chair, its back facing me.

"Is that all?" She asked.

"Yeah. For now. How's Shinji doing, nya?"

"Terrible."

"As usual. I still don't see how he was part of the Gotei 13 when he wasn't a Visored... Well, see ya. I'll report later when I find something else interesting, nya." Rumi waved her hand and used Shunpo to leave the building and to appear on the rooftop of some house.

"What a bother... Now I've become her pet, nya!" Rumi sighed, hands behind her back.

Rumi's POV

I arrived at school, much to my distaste. Two guys, named Keigo and Mizuiro kept following me around.

"So beautiful~"Keigo kept singing.

But I managed to get them somewhat off my back. I arrived into the classroom, seeing Shinji and Ichigo arguing near Orihime. I chuckled. They were way too alike. I was sure they were going to clash forever until they parted ways, which would take awhile. I ran my fingers through my rust-colored hair as class proceeded. When Ichigo came back from lunch, he looked more depressed.

I ignored Shinji's advancements to talk to me. Instead, I tapped at my phone to let him know I would call him soon. He nodded, then left. I tailed Ichigo for a bit until he got to his house. The Kurosaki Clinic, huh...? Interesting. His family were medics? I hopped into the sky and continued walking like this until I felt a large tremor through Karakura.

_Hmmm... What could this be...?_

I decided to investigate, since that was my job. I am the ultimate investigator, being able to erase and control my spiritual pressure entirely and sneak up and kill... I have been nicknamed a lot of things, but my favorite was the Masked Warrior. It fit me well, even though only a handful of people knew the exact reason why. I leisurely made my way towards the loud sound when I could see souls flying into the air.

Someone was sucking them in, using them, probably, as their food source.

Was it a Bount...? No. The technique was different.

It has to be them. I'd know that spiritual pressure anywhere. He was here again. But with a companion. I hastened my way, going quicker. I arrived at the scene and saw Ichigo and the Arrancar. There were two this time, one I recognized, and the other one, not really. Ichigo was doing well; Zangetsu had become Tensa Zangetsu after his bankai release. Ichigo actually looked cool in his attire. Very different from the school uniform.

I watched as he and the Arrancar battled. Ichigo seemed to be fighting his inner Hollow, making him getting beat up by the larger Arrancar. I winced at some moments, knowing that they were going to hurt when he woke up tomorrow.

At the final blow, two people came in between Ichigo and the Arrancar's attack, saving the Shinigami. Those two, I didn't really know, and I really didn't care. The woman, purple haired and yellow eyed, beat up the Arrancar, knocking him face first into the dirt.

The two tended to Ichigo's and the other two's wounds, but the Arrancar stood up. The purple haired one said something, but the Arrancar opened his mouth, revealing Cero. I snuck down and absorbed the Cero with my hand before anyone could get hurt. The blow faded and dust faded away, revealing my presence.

"Oh, Yammy. Long time no see, nya." I grinned, my skirt gently flowing in the mild wind.

I took my hand back, and drank from my juice box that was in my other hand.

"Rumi...?" Ichigo's voice faintly said.

"A cero this early? My, they were quite challenging for you, weren't they, nya?" I asked.

"What? Who are you?!" Yammy yelled.

I placed a hand over my heart, pretending to be wounded.

"I'm hurt, Yammy. You don't remember me. After all those centuries-" My phone began to ring.

I answered, knowing it was either Shinji, Lisa, or Hiyori.

"Hello? Oh, it's you, nya."

It was Shinji.

"I sensed two Arrancars where you are. You're dealing with them? Who's there?" Shinji asked.

"There's my buddies Yammy and Ulquiorra. Man, Ulquiorra didn't change a bit! Yammy got a bit fatter though. And he can use Cero, nya!" I explained over the phone.

"Heh. Must be exciting. How's Ichigo?" He asked. I leaned to my side, and saw the strawberry.

"Fine. But keep your door open, Shinji. He might come real soon, nya." I said, my voice getting serious.

"Who're you talking to, Shinji?! I told you to scrub!" Came Hiyori's loud, abnoxious voice.

"Ha! You got cleaning duties after all! Good luck!"

"Ow, Hiyori! Uh, bye, Rumi-chaaaan!" I snapped my phone shut then faced the two Arrancar.

"Who are you?" Came the purple haired one's voice.

"Me? I'm Ichigo's classmate, nya." I simply answered, grinning at her. I sipped my juice, then faced her, my body towards her entirely.

"Hey. Shouldn't you say thank you? That cero wasn't that powerful, but it would've ripped you apart, nya." I said, one hand on my hip, and drinking my juice.

"T-thanks." She said.

"Stop the talking! Who are you?!" Yammy yelled.

"Baka. You don't remember her?" Came Ulquiorra's voice.

I grinned at him, turning around once more.

"Rumi." He said, facing me.

"Ulquiorra. You still look handsome, as always. Say... Have you improved, nya?" I asked, sipping the juice.

"Much more." He turned towards Yammy, slamming his hand to his stomach.

"What was that for?" He growled.

"Baka. That's Rumi Minamoto. And the other two are Kisuke Urahara and Yoruichi Shihoin. At your level, you don't stand a chance against them." Ulquiorra said.

_Kisuke Urahara...___

_That's Hiyori's..._ My eyes widened, but I quickly regained composure.

"Hold up. Who said I was going against you? I just happened to be around the area... And I wanted to see your face. It's been some centuries, has it not, nya?" I asked.

"It has. Sadly, Rumi, I have not come to the World of the Living to play with you today. I came here on behalf of Aizen-sama. But the mission is futile. That one over there, the one Aizen-sama..." He paused, probably stopping himself from saying anything else. "The one he set eyes on... Is trash. He doesn't need to associate himself with filth like him." He created a portal to his world, Yammy right behind them. The green dressed man said his zanpakuto's name and fired a red blow at Ulquiorra, who effortlessly blocked it with his arm.

"They're trash... Not even worth killing." With that, Ulquiorra and Yammy disappeared.

I sighed, running my fingers through my rust colored hair once more. I picked up my phone again, dialing a number.

"Who are you?" The man, Kisuke Urahara asked.

I eyed him suspiciously, but wore off my glare.

"Ulquiorra just told you. I'm Rumi Minamoto, nya." I said simply, pressing more numbers.

"I see. Well then, thanks for saving my friend!" He said cheerfully, tucking his sword away.

"No problem. Well then, I must get going. But first, can I talk to Ichigo, nya?"

He nodded and I walked over to him, kneeling next to him. I wrapped him around in a hug, my lips next to his ear.

"Our offer still stands, strawberry, nya~"

And with that, I left, using Shunpo.

I called Hiyori this time and she picked up.

"What?"

"I told him the offer still stands. He will be swayed. Judging by the expression on his face, he will be thinking about it until he recovers, probably, nya."

"Good job. You're much more useful than Shinji- Baka here. Keep scrubbing!" She yelled.

I chuckled. "I'll probably be back soon, nya."

"Alright. Good work."

Kisuke shut the door to Orihime's room slightly and walked into Yoruichi's. She had finally finished eating the massive amount of food Jinta, Ururu and Tessai had provided. Her appetite hadn't changed the past few centuries... He sat down across from her, shooing Jinta and Ururu out of the room for a private talk.

"Do you have any idea who that girl was?" Kisuke asked.

"I have an idea..."

"Well, she saved your life and got to blow away the Cero before I could..."

"She didn't blow it away. She absorbed it. Did you not see her mask?" Yoruichi replied, her face dead serious.

"No. I didn't get the chance to. She had made it disappear before the smoke blew away." Kisuke said, disappointed.

"Anyways, she absorbed the Cero with her hand. She is quite powerful, to chase away those two Arrancar."

"So who is she?"

"The Arrancar said that she was Rumi Minamoto. The Minamoto clan was one of the most noble clans, ranked similarly to the Kuchiki clan, until they were slaughtered, leaving no survivors. Well, until she showed up, I guess."

"No survivors...?" He said, his voice filled with curiosity. "Do you mind asking Ukitake-San about her? Or shall I do my own research?"

"I guess I can ask Jūshiro. I'll tell him it's a private matter." Kisuke nodded and left her in peace.

The Arrancar had knocked his Benihime's Nake effortlessly. He clutched his cane and sighed.

Another adventure, huh?


	4. Yon

Rumi's POV

I arrived at school, without Shinji. Shinji and the others were busy mooching around at the warehouse. For me, I was still interested in the human life, even though I hated humans. I kept thinking about the strange reiatsu I saw when I saved the purple haired lady... Yoruichi! That was her name, right? Hers was a jagged shape and the color of white. I had never seen a white reiatsu before. Unlike Yoruichi, the green man... Kisuke? Yes, Kisuke. His was a crimson red. A bright crimson.

I sipped my juice box on the way, thinking. Their reiatsu seemed slightly familiar... But off at the same time. I ruffled my rust colored hair and arrived at the rooftop, allowing fresh air into my head. Unfamiliar reiatsu filled the school. Five... No. Six. Five new reiatsu that I haven't met before. The sixth one was the raven haired girl... Rukia. That's her. The Kuchiki brat.

I smirked and went down. It was time to see who they were and what their business was in the World of the Living. As I approached the classroom, I heard a bunch of yells and screams. They were obviously Ichigo and Rukia.I entered the classroom and saw a red pineapple, a short whitey, a baldy, a jiggly, and a girly.

I threw my juice box away in the trash can as I walked over to my seat. I saw Whitey, Jiggly and Girly look over at me, but I ignored them. They probably felt my intense reiatsu. I began to study their reiatsu, taking careful note on what to say to Hiyori and the others. Whitey looked like an elementary school kid, but really mature. He had the reiatsu level of a Captain. His reiatsu color was the color of blueish silver, and was sharp, like ice. Jiggly seemed awfully close to Whitey. She had orange hair and big boobs. Maybe she was Whitey's lieutenant? Lover? Sister? Her reiatsu was dust-like, and the color of lavender. Baldy was bald and he had a wooden sword by his hip. Probably not used to not carrying around his zanpakuto everywhere... His reiatsu was a pinkish red, and was all over the place, but controlled, unlike Ichigo's. Girly had weird eyebrow extensions and looked like he cared about beauty than anything else. Probably the girliest in the group, even girlier than Jiggly. His reiatsu was a deep purple color and was rounded. Red Pineapple had weird tattoos on his face, especially near his eyebrows. He looked fierce and looked like the type to clash with people like Ichigo. He has a stern voice and his reiatsu is a pinkish red and is sharp and pointy and felt like a lieutenant's reiatsu.

I mentally took down all these notes, while pretending to write down something in my journal. I left the classroom, and headed towards the warehouse. I could feel everyone's presence there.

"Oi! Rumi!" Came Love's voice.

"You're back already? Yare, yare, it's not good for a student to ditch class." Shinji said.

"Oh shut up. I have news, nya!"

"What kind of news?" Hiyori asked.

"Two lieutenants, a captain and two seated officers have arrived at Karakura, posing as students. According to the data, they were sent by Soul Society to get rid of the Arrancar, nya." I said, hands on my hips.

"Hm... A captain? Two lieutenants...?"

"Well, three, including the raven haired girl that recently came back from Soul Society, nya."

"So six Shinigami plus Ichigo..."

"There may be a fight soon. Rumi, send yourself and your clones and observe the fights, then report." Hiyori said.

I grinned, taking a juice box. "Hai, nya." Then I flash stepped away from the warehouse and towards the center of Karakura. I said an incantation, summoning six other clones of me.

"You will each take a Shinigami to watch over. You will observe their fights, and take note of their abilities, as well as their opponents' abilities and skills as well. Afterwards, report to me, as I will be watching everything from up above, nya."

"Hai!" The six clones said. They all flash stepped to claim a Shinigami.

This was bound to be interesting.

* * *

The Rumi clones had stuck by the battling Shinigami.

The raven haired one, Rukia, had dealt with a very low- skilled Arrancar, but was approached by an Espada. She was wounded badly and Ichigo was left dealing with an Espada named Grimmjow that had wounded Rukia. Whitey was battling the 11th Arrancar, using his bankai. Jiggly was down, and the other big Arrancar was near her. Red Pineapple had help from a little girl who then got injured and was taken to safety by a red haired boy. Baldy was facing off with the 3rd level Arrancar, and Girly and a human was watching him. The fights were dragging on and on, and soon it was getting dark. It was about ten o' clock when things started to move again. Baldy had beaten the 3rd level Arrancar and Girly left with him and the human probably to the human's house. Whitey, Jiggly, and Red Pineapple had a surge of power using Gentei Kaijo. The three Arrancar were also defeated. Grimmjow, the blue haired Espada, had retreated with barely any scratches, and left Ichigo in the crater.

All of the Rumi clones had returned to Rumi. They poofed away, leaving the real Rumi filled with the skillsets of each Shinigami, Arrancar and the lone Espada. She flash stepped to the warehouse and reported everything she had seen.

"It seems that the Soul Society can't do much. A captain couldn't even take an Arrancar down without Gentei Kaijo. That's disappointing." Shinji said, bored.

"Soul Society has gotten worse in the course of a few centuries. And they send the worst down here, nya." I said, sipping on the juice.

"Tch! If we were them, we could've taken them down easily!" Love said.

"Don't get too greedy, Love. Lisa could probably take you down." Kensei said.

I laughed. "That's true, nya."

"Why you little brat-!" Love jumped down a few levels and began chasing me.

"Now, now, let's calm down, everyone!" Rose said. "Ichigo may come soon and we need to wait patiently." He grinned.

Love stopped chasing me and turned as I blew raspberries at him. He twitched a little in annoyance, but dropped chasing me.

"Heh. That's true. We'll wait." Shinji grinned.

"He'll come soon."


	5. Go

Rumi's POV

As we predicted yesterday, Ichigo came, looking for us. I grinned and smacked Kensei's back.

"You owe me, nya! I won!" I grinned, hand held out.

"Crap... Fine. You win this time, Rumi. But the next bet, I'll win." He rolled his eyes and gave me the money he owed. Ichigo's gaze went up, and his eyes widened, seeing me.

"You... what are you doing here?" He asked, pointing a finger at me.

"Pointing is rude, strawberry! And what do you mean, what am I doing here? I'm like you, nya!" I said, grinning.

"Naniiiii?! Hirako! Why didn't you tell me?!" Ichigo asked, pointing at Shinji now. Shinji smirked a little, but got serious again. "So you're serious about joining us?"

"I'm not joining you guys. I'm here to take advantage of you. I won't join you guys, but I want you to show me how to suppress the Hollow inside of me."

"You sure take us lightly... As if I'd teach you, idiot!" Shinji remarked.

"I'll get it out of you." Ichigo said.

"How?" Shinji's voice got dangerously low.

"By force!"

"Don't make me laugh." As soon as he said that, Ichigo pulled out a skull thing from his back pocket, separating his human body with his soul self. He leaped towards Shinji, and Shinji grabbed his zanpakuto as Ichigo grabbed his.

"What a difficult guy..." They both drew their swords and began fighting. Shinji knocked Ichigo down to the crates, and the rest of us came down. I stood next to Lisa, sipping my juice.

"Ne, Ero-chan," Ero-chan was a nickname I used for Lisa, since she was perverted and liked to read weird things.

"What?"

"Do you think Hiyori will teach him, nya?" I asked.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Depends on her mood? I guess."

At that moment, Hiyori leapt down, and Shinji and Ichigo began to fight again.

"That boy named Ichigo... He's not bad, considering he's holding his own against Shinji..." Rose commented.

"Stupid, look again." Lisa retorted. "Shinji isn't serious at all."

"Like Shinji would let Strawberry beat him, nya." I said.

"It doesn't seem like Ichigo is fighting seriously either." Hachi said.

Love sighed. "It's quite obvious that he's nervous."

"So young... I wonder what I would've done if I was a Substitute Soul Reaper that had an inner Hollow, nya." I said boredly, chewing on the straw.

"Nervous about what?" Mashi asked.

"Hollows." Kensei said. "That kid is fighting scared. He's nervous about releasing his inner Hollow. That's the level the kid we're trying to recruit is at."

"Why did we decide to recruit him again, nya?" I asked.

"He could be useful. He has some potential..." Rose said.

Hiyori sighed and began to advance towards the two guys.

"Where are you going, Hiyori?" Mashi asked.

"Hachi... Put up five more barriers." She simply said.

"Yes." Hachi obeyed.

"Huh?" Mashi asked, confused. Hiyori looked up at the two guys that were hovering over the air.

"Ichigo, you..." Before Shinji could finish his sentence, Hiyori stepped in.

"Shinji! Move!" She yelled as she slapped him with her flip flops. Shinji was thrusted out the barrier, spinning like a torpedo. I giggled.

"I told you. Put up five more!" Hiyori said to Hachi, who was looking stunned.

"But... I couldn't do it in time!" He protested.

"Oh well, never mind." She said, turning to face the orange haired boy. "Ichigo. Let me say one thing. You've got this all wrong."

"Wrong?"

"It's true we're trying to recruit you. However, it's not something for you to decide."

"What do you mean?" Ichigo asked, confused.

"The power to choose is on our side. Whether you want to join, or not... That's not the issue. We look at your power. Then it's whether we really want you or not. That's all." She pointed at him, her voice getting louder. "Think about your position carefully! You don't have the right to choose! If you have the power, we will make you one of us. We'll teach you how to suppress your Hollow. However, if you have no power, who cares! You'll disappear to wherever, become a Hollow, and die a shameful death by Rumi. She's our exterminator." Hiyori said.

"Well thanks, Hiyori, for labeling me, nya." I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms over my chest. Ichigo looked shocked. He looked back and forth between me and Hiyori. Hiyori snorted and turned her back at him.

"If you understand, change to a Hollow... And we'll take a look at your strength." She said.

"I refuse." Ichigo stated.

Stupid... I thought.

"You're not too bright. You don't have the right to choose. Didn't I say that?" Hiyori growled. Her mask began to form on the side of her face. Ichigo looked shocked. "If you're scared and don't want to change, then it can't be helped. I'll directly drag out the Hollow inside you! With force!" Hiyori declared, smirking.

"Hey, hey, hey!" Love said.

"Hold on, Hiyori!" Rose shouted.

"What's scaring you? A mask doesn't make you a Visored! Of course we can change into Hollows! Don't be scared, Ichigo! I'm not nice like Shinji. If you don't change into a Hollow..." Hiyori put on her mask, and her reiatsu spiked.

Hiyori touched Ichigo's stomach. "You... Will really die."

* * *

Then they began to fight, and some of us watched, and some of us didn't. Hachi was forcing the barriers up and he was slightly sweating.

"Is your barrier all right, Hachi?" Mashi asked.

"It's not all right..." He groaned. I looked at the fight and saw that Hiyori had her mask on, but Ichigo still didn't have his. He was bleeding and looked tired and out of breath.

"Cut it out! You still don't understand?! I keep telling you not to be scared, Ichigo!" Hiyori said, annoyed. She removed her mask.

"I'm not scared." Ichigo stated.

"Heh. I'll tell you something useful. Use your bankai." She said.

"Shut up."

"I know... You think that if you use your Bankai against someone as powerful as I am, you're suddenly going to lose control of your inner Hollow. You're scared, aren't you?" She grabbed her zanpakuto as Ichigo prepared himself.

"Jeez, you always have to taunt everyone, nya." I sighed.

"I said, shut up!" Ichigo yelled, getting angry.

"Baldy..." She took out her sword. "I get annoyed when I look at you!" She yelled.

"You always call everyone baldy, nya." I sighed.

"You keep getting nervous! I've had enough! If you hate this so much, then do whatever you want!" She said, putting on her mask once more. "You don't have to have to use your bankai or turn into a Hollow! I'll just finish you off... And it'll be over!" She declared.

"Hmf. Where's my fun, nya?" I asked, disappointed.

"Not today, Rumi." Rose said. I frowned, a pout on my face. Then Hiyori attacked him again, but he was resisting. They kept attacking, and Ichigo was getting hurt. One eye was already forming on Ichigo's face. She continued to relentlessly attack him. Soon he was blown towards the wall and suddenly, he screamed, a Hollow mask forming on his face.

I already was acting before it could hurt someone. Ichigo grabbed Hiyori's neck, pushing her towards the other side of the abandoned warehouse. He had her pinned and was choking her. She was returning to normal. I pinned him down, sitting on top of him as the others pinned him down also, with their zanpakuto. I hadn't drawn mine out, since I could do tricks without it. Shinji crack his mask and got up.

"That's enough. You don't have any complaints, do you, Hiyori?" He asked. I looked up, and saw Hiyori's frightened stare at Ichigo.

She didn't say anything. I got off of him, and so did the others.

"You understand now don't you, Ichigo? Your Hollow can't be suppressed just by thinking about it with your mind and body." Ichigo returned to normal and Shinji turned around, leaning his zanpakuto on his shoulder, like always.

"You pass! We're going to pound knowledge of how to suppress your Hollow all the way into the heart of your soul!"

"Yay! Strawberry gets to stay with us, nya!" I clapped, excited.

"Don't get too excited, Rumi." Love said. "He may not be that exciting."

"What do you mean, nya?! He's bound to be interesting! Look at his hair, nya!"


	6. Roku

Rumi's POV

It was the next day, around lunchtime. I was on my back, head leaning off the broken floor. I was a floor above Shinji, who was reading. My stomach growled loudly.

"Why is lunch taking so long? I'm hungry, nya! Hachi and Mashi better come soon!" I yelled, throwing my arms and legs into the air.

"Lunch is late... Hiyori, make something to eat." Shinji said.

I gasped. He never ate Hiyori's cooking. It was so bad it was inedible.

"Baldy! Why do I have to make something?! Rumi's the one complaining." She retorted. "Even if I did, I wouldn't let you eat it, baldy!"

"Cause it's so terrible, nya!" I giggled.

"Why you..." Hiyori's vein popped out on her forehead.

"You have a vein popping out, nya." I remarked, pointing at her forehead. Then she began chasing me around.

"Stop chasing me around, nya! I never said anything mean!"

"You're calling me old!" She yelled.

"What? Nooo, nya!" I yelled back.

I landed behind Kensei, who was wrapping his arm.

"Kensei! Hiyori's being mean, nya!"

He entirely ignored me, and instead, talked to Lisa. "Lisa, make sure you look after that Soul Reaper." Hiyori stopped chasing me and I hopped over to where Ero-chan was. She was, yet again, looking at a womens's swimsuit magazine.

"I'm watching him! Shut up!" She said, annoyed.

"You're not watching him! You're just looking at swimsuit models!" Kensei yelled back.

"Shut up! Go away! Don't interrupt me!" She yelled back.

I looked at Ichigo, who was doing the exercise machine thing. I hated that thing. I was at least on it for about two weeks or so.

"You're on duty today, right?" Kensei asked.

"I just have to shout out, right? All right... One, two! One, two!" Lisa yelled in rhythm with Ichigo's pace.

"Lunch sure is late..." Shinji muttered again. I drank some more juice when Ichigo started to act up.

"I can't... Do this!" He yelled, kicking Shinji's face, making his nose bleed.

"What the hell are you doing?! I'll slap you around if you act stupid, baldy!" Hiyori yelled.

"Th-That's my line..." Shinji wheezed.

"That's what I'd like to say! You bragged about how you were going to pound the knowledge of how to suppress the Hollow within me. So why do I have to row for more than a day on this clearly handmade, beat up, silly machine?!" He yelled, pointing at it. "Are you stupid? Or rather, am I stupid for rowing on it like you told me to?!"

Lisa looked up from her magazine, clearly annoyed at the orange haired soul reaper. Love and Rose sighed at the childishness.

"That's right! You're stupid! You're the only stupid one! And you're bald!" Hiyori yelled.

* * *

The door slid open, revealing Hachi and Mashi with the lunch.

"We're back..." Mashi announced.

"Ah, thank you!" Love said.

"We finished training, so stop blabbing and listen to us, baldy!" Hiyori yelled at Ichigo.

"Shut up with the baldy, fangs!" Ichigo yelled back. Apparently, his new nickname for Hiyori was "fangs" since she had that tooth that always stuck out even if she closed her mouth. I scootched over to Hachi and Mashi.

"Ne, Mashi, Hachi, what's you bring?" I asked.

"How can you consider this training?!" Ichigo retorted.

"If you think I'm talking about your hair, you're wrong! I'm saying you're wearing a bald wig!"

"I bought you lunch..." Mashi said, holding up a plastic bag. "Do you want to eat it now?"

"Also, my fangs are my most attractive feature, baldy!" Hiyori yelled.

"Itakimasu, nya!" I yelled happily.

"You called me baldy again!" Ichigo yelled.

"How's Berry? He's fuming." Mashi said, handing out the Bento boxes along with Hachi. Berry was her nickname for Ichigo, since his name meant "strawberry", or at least we think it is.

"It seems like he doesn't like the Super Hiyori Trainer." Love said.

"I don't think that Hiyori explained the trainer very well." Hachi said.

"She always leaves the important things out when she says something, nya!" I said. Then Hiyori punched Ichigo in the face and they began to fight once more. I sighed, eating my Bento box. It was really good.

"Don't complain. Row until you collapse!" Hiyori yelled, holding the trainer in her hands. Then she threw it at Ichigo, knocking him down.

"Wait, Ichigo..." Shinji said. "The Silly Hiyori Trainer..."

"Super!" Hiyori objected.

"...is the foundation of your future training." Shinji finished.

"Foundation?" He asked.

"The level of your training is determined by how long you can row on that machine."

"What do you mean by 'level'?" Ichigo asked.

"It's as Hiyori says. Don't complain. Keep rowing on the Silly Hiyori Trainer."

"Want me to make you day it, baldy Shinji?!" Hiyori yelled. "I'll hurt you, baldy Shinji!"

"We'll teach you how to control your Hollow transformation... When you are able to row on that machine for at least three days straight."

"Only three days? That's a piece of cake, nya." I said, chewing.

"N-no way! I'm bound to row on this thing for three days or even a week! I can tell after rowing on it all day! A person expends an incredible amount of spirit energy just by touching it. That's what it's made to do! Your plan is to see how many days it'll take for me to collapse, so you can measure my maximum spirit energy capacity, isn't it?!" Ichigo accused.

I stopped eating and looked at him curiously.

"But with my current spirit energy, I'll definitely go for at least five days! There's no point in measuring! Teach me how to control my Hollow transformation! I don't have time! I don't have time to be playing around with you Visored!" He yelled.

Ichigo was actually smarter than he looked, but foolish and naïve.

"Shut up!" Shinji barked. Now everyone had stopped eating, or doing whatever they were doing and were all looking down at Ichigo.

"You don't have time? That's surprising, coming from someone who doesn't know about the Hogyoku's awakening time." Shinji said, his voice dangerously low. I smacked myself. I hoped we wouldn't get to talking about that stupid ball.

"Wait... What did you just say?" Ichigo asked, clearly surprised by the fact we knew about the Hogyoku.

"I said, stop blabbing when you don't really know anything about the Hogyoku or about Hollow transformations!" Shinji declared.

"What's this? How do you know about the Hogyoku?"

"We know about the Hogyoku, the Arrancars, and Sosuke Aizen... We've known all about them for many, many years."

Shinji leaped down, landing right in front of him. Then he put his hand in front of Ichigo's face.

"I'll tell you the details another day. I thought I should take my time and get your soul prepared our way... But when I think about it, Rumi was right. You became a Soul Reaper, got your Shikai, and got your Bankai at incredible speed."

"How do you know about that?" Ichigo asked, not bothering to hide his surprise anymore. Man, Ichigo was really getting on our nerves. He was underestimating us so much. But I'd expected much, coming from someone like Ichigo.

"I see... As you say, it might be better for you if we just teach you how to transform into a Hollow. Here I go, Ichigo." Shinji said. "Don't regret it." Then he sent him to his inner world, knocking him out. Love was carrying him on his shoulder and Shinji turned to Hachi.

"Hachi, build a double barrier."

"Yes." Hachi obeyed.

And so a double barrier was set up around the warehouse and we opened the underground training room. All of us went down, following after Shinji and Love, who was carrying the unconscious Ichigo.

"Can you hear me, Ichigo? Right now, you are going to undergo a complete Hollow transformation. Don't get eaten! Consume it! If you get eaten up... It's all over."

* * *

I looked at Ichigo, slightly worried. Will he make it through? Will he consume his Hollow or will I really have to kill him?

Love set him down on the floor, next to his sword.

"Hachi, place a barrier here, too."

"What?" Hachi whined.

"Don't say that! It's not cute when an old man says it!" Shinji remarked. "Also... Place seals all over Ichigo's body."

"Okay." Hachi said, getting serious.

"Wall of iron sand, monk-like tower, and the shimmer or burning iron, unmoving and silent until the end... Bakudo 75! Gochu Tekkan!" He slammed his fist at the ground, placing the seals on Ichigo. Hachi had placed another barrier around Ichigo, and we were sitting around it, timing Ichigo. Suddenly, the ground shook, signaling that it was here.

"It's here." Shinji announced.

Ichigo's body began to move.

"Shouldn't we hide his zanpakuto?" Mashi asked.

"There wouldn't be any point. That would just make him more frantic." Love said.

The seals on him began to shake until they collapsed and broke. Ichigo was up and so was Lisa.

"Hachigen, open this up. I'm on duty today. I'll go first." Lisa said.

"Yes." He opened up the barrier, letting Lisa in.

"Don't kill him." Shinji remarked.

"Only if I don't die." She replied.

Hollow Ichigo grabbed his zanpakuto as Lisa got ready. She unsheathed her sword.

"I'm Lisa Yadomaru. Pleased to meet you." She said, pointing at him.

* * *

Hollow Ichigo also unsheathed his sword and charged at her. They continued battling and clashing swords. I wondered what Ichigo was doing in his inner world. Probably fighting his inner Hollow... I sighed, and checked over Kensei's shoulder to see the time.

"Ne, Shinii, can I go today, nya?" I asked.

"Maybe." He said.

I laid down on the rocky ground, arms over my chest, looking at the fake blue sky.

"Hmf. So cautious, nya." I pouted. Lisa and Hollow Ichigo continued fighting for what it seemed like forever.

"Ne, Lisa should hurry up and let the rest of us have a chance, nya." I said. I brought my bento box, the one I was eating before, and continued eating, a juice box in hand.

"Ne, I've been wondering... How come you always have a juice box with you now. How come not chocolate?" Rose asked, looking at me.

"I don't know. Maybe I grew out of chocolate... Maybe I'll come back to sweets. But for now, I like juice boxes, nya." I answered, sipping at the juice and looking at the fight. Hollow Ichigo's mask was forming faster, now not covering only his left side, but his entire face. Now, Lisa was kicking his face over and over. And they continued fighting.

"2... 1... That makes ten minutes." Kensei said, a stopwatch in his hand.

"Ne, Kensei, how long do you think he's gonna take?" I asked.

"I don't know. Maybe an hour?" He predicted. He got up.

"Hachi! Time to switch!" He said. "Open it up!"

"All right."

Lisa was bruised up in some places, but other than that, she was fine. Kensei entered an elbowed Hollow Ichigo in the guts, sending him back. He had handed me the stopwatch and he and Lisa switched out.

"I'm Kensei Mugurama." He spun his zanpakuto, a little tiny sword of his. "I'm going to crush you." And so, Hollow Ichigo and Kensei fought. I handed the stopwatch to Lisa, since she would be better at it than me.

* * *

"Don't waste your time, Ichigo. If you don't hurry, Rumi will kill you!" Shinji shouted.

"Calm down, nya, Shinji." I said.

I loved a good fight, but I didn't really care for killing. I looked towards Lisa, who was panting and sweating.

"How long do I have to rest?" She asked.

"There are eight of us in all, minus Rumi, and we're rotating. So ten times eight is 80 minutes." Shinji said.

"It isn't 'times eight', baldy!" Hiyori scolded. "If you exclude her, it's seven!"

"Ten times seven is 70 minutes then!" Shinji said, rolling his eyes.

"My job is to set the barrier, but I'm still included..." Hachi sighed.

"Ne, Ne, Shinji! Can I go instead of Hachi? Hachi is setting up the barrier and he looks tired, nya." I pleaded, making puppy eyes.

"Fine. But you still have seventy minutes, Lisa." Shinji concluded.

"Yay!" I jumped up and down happily.

"Be careful, Kensei. If you don't..." Lisa trailed off.

Kensei was dodging Hollow Ichigo's attacks fairly well. But when he slashed Hollow Ichigo's shoulder, Hollow Ichigo instantly regenerated.

"What's this? He's pretty serious." Hiyori grinned.

"You understand the situation best, don't you?" Shinji remarked, Hiyori letting out a grunt. Kensei fired Bakudantsuki from his zanpakuto at him, making a shiny blueish white light.

"Pretty light, nya!" I giggled.

As the smoke cleared, a thing with teeth launched itself at Kensei. Kensei blew it apart though. Hollow Ichigo's left side was completely Hollow-fied. Only his right side remained.

"His Hollow transformation is unexpectedly fast." Kensei remarked.

And they continued to fight again. I had finished my lunch and juice box. I was rolling on the floor, waiting for my turn.

"Rumi, get off the floor! You'll get your turn sooner or later!" Lisa barked.

"But I'm bored, Lisaaaaaaa!" I yelled.

"Shut up! It's almost your turn." She growled.

Love was up against him, and he had a scratch on his left shoulder. Hollow Ichigo's transformation was done. He looked like a big lizard.

"He looks like he's completely Hollow-fied..." Love sighed.

"Love! Switch with me, nya!" I yelled. "Hachi, open the barrier!" He did and I switched places with Love.

"Kensei! How much time is left before I have to kill him, nya?"

"Wait! Rumi, don't kill him yet. Just drag it out." Shinji said. Shinji looked skeptical, but I nodded. I looked at the Hollow Ichigo and he ran straight towards me, his claws out. I dodged and blocked all of his attacks with no effort.

"Nani? You big lizard! Fight harder, nya!" I taunted, jumping into the air. He followed after me, but my heel connected with his shoulder, throwing him down to the ground, causing a rumble and a crater.

"Fight, Ya big lizard! Fight, Ichigo!" I yelled.

The big lizard pointed a Cero at me.

"Rumi! It's a Cero!" Lisa yelled.

"I know, nya! But it's not going to hit me." I said.

"How do you know?" Mashi yelled.

"Cause I do. Ichigo isn't that weak, nya." I winked.

Just as I said that, there was a slash to Hollow Ichigo's left arm, breaking his concentration on the Cero. Same thing happened on his other arm.

"See? He'll be fine." I said, my voice serious.

"Rumi, get out of the barrier! Hachi!" Hiyori yelled.

I exited the barrier and suddenly there was a huge gust of wind, and dust and smoke flew everywhere. I covered my face, protecting it of the debris that went flying all over the place. Hachi let down his barrier. And we could see Ichigo. His outer body shell disappeared, but his mask remained on his face. Then, Ichigo collapsed onto the floor.

"Do you suppose Berry is all right, Hachi?" Mashi asked him.

"Shh..." He shushed her. I walked up to him, bending my neck so I could see his flaming orange head.

"How do you feel, Ichi, nya?" I asked, kneeling down. He turned his head and grinned at me.

"Not bad." He grinned.

"I see." I grinned.

Ichigo gripped his zanpakuto, and his mask disappeared.

Suddenly, there was a kick to my head, sending me flying across the floor. I landed in some rock pillar, making a deep crater. I fell on my face, my legs and arms twitching. I got up, groaning, and gripped the back of my head.

"Nani?! What was that for?" I asked, tears in my eyes.

"You idiot! You could've died! That Cero could've killed you!" Lisa and Kensei yelled in unison.

"I can handle a Cero, you know! And that hurt!" I shouted. I shunpoed to where the group was and I smacked both of their heads.

"Oi! I was just looking out for you!" Kensei groaned.

"So was I!" Lisa winced.

"Anyways! Ichigo!" Shinji turned to him, who was still on the floor. "You will go into training to use your Hollow powers whenever you need it. Hiyori will teach you again."

* * *

"Hurry up, Ichigo! One more time!" Hiyori barked. We were all watching, well, except for me of course.

"I'm so bored, nya!" I groaned, rolling all over the floor. I watched once more as Ichigo and Hiyori were engaged in the fight. Ichigo could summon his Hollow mask now, but only for a few seconds.

"The time he can wear it isn't getting longer, nya. Maybe he has no talent, nya?" I asked, kicking my feet in the air.

"Well, he won't make immediate progress." Shinji said.

"Four seconds." Kensei announced.

"That's quick!" Shinji sighed.

"Ne, ne, why is Berry doing this?" Mashi asked.

"This is the training to remain in his Hollow form for long periods of time." Kensei growled, annoyed with his previous lieutenant. "You did it too, remember?"

"I didn't do that." Mashi sang.

"What? You liar..."

"It'a true, nya." Shinji and I said simultaneously, except he didn't say the "nya" part. "Mashi was able to remain in her Hollow form for 15 hours from the beginning. She's the only one who didn't train to maintain a Hollow transformation, nya!" I answered.

"Really? I forgot about that." Kensei sighed as he turned back to the stopwatch.

"See?! Stupid Kensei, you grouch!" Mashi teased.

"Why you..." Kensei growled.

"Now, now..." Hachi began. But he suddenly turned, looking towards the stairs.

"What's wrong, Hachi, nya?" I asked.

"Someone has passed through my barrier and entered this building." He stated.

"Want me to go check, nya?" I offered.

"Is it a Soul Reaper?" Love asked.

"No... The Hachigyo Sogai placed around here is a technique I created when I became a Visored... It's impossible to disperse it with Soul Reaper kido." He explained.

"Then who is it?" Kensei growled, getting up.

"I'll check, nya." I Shunpoed to the stairs and went up.

* * *

"Ehhhhhhhh?!" I yelled.

"Rumi! Rumi!" Kensei and the others yelled.

I couldn't believe my eyes. Orange hair, large boobs, black eyes...

"...Who are you?" I asked. The girl looked appalled as soon as I said that.

"You don't remember me? I'm Orihime Inoue from your class..." She said.

Orihime Inoue... I'm sure I heard that name somewhere...

"Sorry. I'm really bad at remembering faces. Anyways, my friends are looking forward to meeting you, nya." I grabbed her hand and led her down the stairs. When we got to the bottom, everyone's eyes were at us, wide as saucers.

"A human?!" Kensei gasped.

"What're you doing, Ichigo?!" Hiyori yelled. There was a cloud of dust as Ichigo was thrust towards the rocks.

Orihime turned her head, looking down at the orange haired Soul Reaper.

"Eh? You know Strawberry, nya?" I asked.

Ichigo's head went up and his eyes went wide as he saw her.

"Inoue?!"

* * *

Ichigo and Orihime talked for a short time until Ichigo called for another training session.

"All right! Let's go again, Hiyori!" Ichigo yelled.

"It's Ms. Hiyori, baldy!" She scolded.

They began arguing again, but I ignored them, more interested in the orange haired, musty girl. Soon, Shinji joined the two dunderheads. I rolled my eyes. The girl looked like she was thinking hard about something.

"I'll be leaving now." She announced. She got up, and slightly looked around for the exit.

I shunpoed down, landing next to her.

"C'mon, nya. I'll escort you back." I offered.

"Thanks."

We went up the stairs as I heard Kensei's irritating complaints disappear into the air. As we surfaced, I turned, and she stopped.

"Can I ask you something, nya?"

"O-okay." She said, her reiatsu slightly faltering. Her reiatsu color was a soft lavender, or at least, right now it was.

"How did you get in?" I asked.

"I just... I just stepped inside." She answered. I nodded, understanding. If she just walked in here, then she has the same abilities as Hachi... Very rare. And she was a Human too.

We exited the warehouse and out the barrier. We walked a couple of steps out when a dark skinned woman approached us. Her face looked familiar, but I couldn't remember where I saw it from. The woman's face looked quite shocked also, but regained composition.

"So here you are, Inoue." She said.

"Yoruichi!" She gasped.

Yoruichi...? Who was that... Then I saw her reiatsu. The white, jagged reiatsu and in an instant, I remembered her. She was there with Strawberry and Ulquiorra and Yammy and that hat-and-clogs guy.

"Kisuke asked me to find you." Yoruichi said, eyeing me with suspicion. I grinned a little, then turned to Orihime.

"Mr. Urahara?" Inoue asked.

I cleared my throat, turning Orihime's attention from her to me.

"Seems like you're fine now. I'll be going." I said.

"Oh. Okay, Rumi-chan." She smiled. "Thanks for escorting me."

"No problem." I turned towards the warehouse. I leaned towards Orihime's ear.

"Your reiatsu color is lovely. A calming lavender, I believe." I whispered, soft enough so that both Orihime and Yoruichi could hear.

With that, I shunpoed myself out of there, and towards the center of Karakura town. Shinji would understand. In fact, I should tell him what I learned... But nah. Too boring. And there was much to think about.

* * *

Yoruichi's POV

I led Orihime to Kisuke's underground training place.

"Hello, Inoue. Long time no see!" Kisuke greeted. Renji and Sado were still fighting. Sado was getting stronger... I crossed my arms over my chest, still thinking.

"Seriously... Lately, I've been surrounded by two smelly guys, so it really is cheery when a woman is in the workplace!" He grinned.

"Oh? So I'm not counted as a woman?" I snorted, turning my head away from him.

"Oh, come now, Yoruichi. I was talking about here in this basement!" Kisuke said. "Because of you, the shop upstairs is quite cheery!"

"What an interesting way to put it..." I retorted, still refusing to look at him.

"Come on. Inoue, sit right here!" Kisuke said, pulling up a seat for her.

"Oh... Okay..."

There was a loud explosion, and a cloud of dust. Sado was running away from Renji's Bankai again.

"Sado... Renji..." Inoue said. I turned to look at the two guys, with a serious expression on my face.

"They're loud as usual..." I commented.

"Urahara! He can't go on anymore!" Renji called from up above a rock. "I'm going to wrap up for today!"

"Sado!" Inoue yelled. She started to approach him.

"Tessau! Ururu! Lirin! Wake Sado up!" Kisuke said, stopping Inoue.

"Leave it to me!" Lirin said, holding a pot. "He'll recover as soon as I sprinkle this magic water on him!"

"W-wait! I can still do this!" Sado said, getting up.

"Don't act too tough." Renji sighed.

"No problem." Sado's arm transformed again, ready to attack. Then they were at it again, Renji was knocking him around.

"Urahara-san... Um..." Inoue started. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Kisuke stayed silent for a moment, then spoke.

"Earlier, Matsumoto of Squad 10 came here. You know about the Ouken, the royal key, don't you?" He asked, turning a bit to look at her.

"This is sudden and kind of unexpected. But whatever the case, both Soul Society and we are preparing for the upcoming battle in winter. It'll be an all-out war. More blood will probably be shed than ever before. And both Soul Society and we will also need more power than we have ever had before."

"Yes." Inoue said. "I... Want to become stronger, too!"

Kisuke was silent again.

Sado and Renji were still fighting, Renji taunting Sado.

"I thought so. Then I'll tell you..." He turned, facing her completely. "Inoue... I want you to sit this battle out." He told her, straight out.

She looked shocked and so did the other two guys.

"Eh?" She asked.

"Tsubaki... He still hasn't recovered since he was destroyed in your battle with the Arrancar, has he?" Kisuke asked.

"No..." Inoue replied. "I can't even find a trace of him. He was smashed into pieces. I don't even know how to fix him."

"Tsubaki is your only method of attack. Without him, I cannot allow you to participate in combat. It's the only logical thing to do."

She was about to object when Sado interrupted.

"Wait, Urahara-san! Inoue is our friend! She desperately fought in Soul Society and against the Bounts!" Sado objected.

"Sado-kun..."

"She says she wants to get stronger, so we can't leave her out so easily!"

"That's an emotionally charged argument. Do you want Inoue to die?" Kisuke shot back.

"No! Inoue has more important abilities than fighting... She has defensive and healing powers!"

Kisuke sighed and turned his hat a little. "The Santenkesshun's defensive power isn't that good. It probably won't be much of use in this battle. And we have Squad 4 for healing. This time, even Captain Unohana and Lieutenant Kotetsu will be on the front lines. There are more than enough people who can fill the space that Inoue leaves behind."

"But..."

"You're being stubborn... I'm saying that a warrior who's lost her powers is just a burden on everyone else." Kisuke said coldly.

"Urahara-san!" Sado yelled.

"It's okay." Inoue said softly. "It's all right... Thank you, Sado... Thank you very much, Urahara-san. I'm glad you gave it to me straight." She paused, then looked up, smiling. "Excuse me!" She turned, then ran towards the exit.

"Inoue!" Sado was about to go after her when Renji stopped him.

"Abarai!"

"Don't... Urahara-san is right... Even though Squad 4 specializes in medical treatment, they're still Thirteen Court Guard Squad members. They're trained in combat. But even though Inoue has her abilities, she's still an ordinary human. Add her personality to that... She was never meant for battle. This might be a good time to put it behind her."

"Inoue..."

I walked up to Kisuke.

"That girl... She was here again." I simply said. He turned around, his eyes slightly widened with surprise.

"What did she do?" He asked.

The other two reluctantly went back to training while we began talking.

"She was with Inoue before I came to get her. Seems like they know each other. Judging by what they were wearing, she probably was in the same class in the same school."

"Hmm..."

"Another interesting thing. Before she left, she whispered to Inoue that her reiatsu was a calming lavender and that it looked pretty. She was aiming at both of us, and she gave me a grin before she left."

"She was taunting you, Yoruichi? That's a new one. I can't wait until I meet her again. But she is interesting... Is she a human? Soul Reaper...?"

"No. You felt her reiatsu before, when we were with the Arrancar. Her reiatsu is not in the same league with a human, but it seems like she's slightly mixed."

"Mixed with what?"

"Figure it out, Kisuke. You're the smart one!" With that, I left the training place and back to the shop.

* * *

Rumi's POV

I got a call from Hiyori while I was jumping from roof to roof.

"Oi! Get that orange haired girl again! Hachi want to see her!" She barked. I distanced my ear from the phone, afraid that my ears were going to bleed.

"Okay, okay. Gosh, Hiyori, no need to shout, nya." I said, cheerily.

I clamped the phone shut and began searching for her reiatsu.

_There you are!_ She was with another person. I quickly arrived there, hiding my reiatsu so neither of them could sense it. After they were done talking, I swooped in between them, facing Orihime.

"Rumi-chan?" Orihime said surprised.

"You need to come with me. Hachi wants to see you, nya!" I said, grabbing her hand.

"Eh? Wha-"


	7. Nana

Rumi's POV

We landed inside the warehouse with a loud crash, Orihime on my shoulders. My feet had made a crater, but no biggie. I marched downstairs, signaling my arrival.

"Hachi, nya! I brought her!" I yelled.

"Inoue?" Ichigo said again.

"All right, Ichigo! Your break is over!" Hiyori yelled.

"Wait a sec! What do you want with Inoue?" Ichigo asked. Right after he said that sentence, Hiyori smacked him with her flip flop, sending him flying to a rock.

"I said that break time is over!" She barked.

And they began to spar again.

Hachi's shadow loomed over the both of us, and I grinned up at him.

"Thank you, Rumi." He said.

"You're welcome, Hachi, nya!" I giggled and ran off. I sat on the floor near the others, watching Hachi and Orihime.

They were talking, and Hachi was holding her head in a weird position.

"All right. Let go of her head already." Kensei said.

"I don't understand! Why is Hachi suddenly fixing that girl's weapon? Who is that girl? She just came out of nowhere. I don't like her! She's annoying!" Mashi yelled, obviously jealous that Hachi was talking to Orihime and not her.

"Quit your yapping!" Kensei yelled at her.

"Kensei, if you keep yelling, your veins are gonna pop out even more and then you'll die of aneurysm, nya!" I yelled at him.

"Why you-!" He yelled towards me and had me in a headlock. He gave me a noogie and it hurt!

"Owowowowowowow!" I yelled.

"What did you say? I'm going to die of what?" He threatened, his voice dangerously low.

"Aneurysm! You're gonna die because of an aneurysm!" I yelled.

He gave me even mor noogies until tears started to come out of my eyes.

"Owowowowowowow!" I yelled. I bit his hand and he finally let go. I was rolling on the floor, gripping my head.

Noogies hurt.

Then I saw a yellow light and looked towards Hachi. He was doing something. Then something was out and Orihime looked really happy. Then they talked for a little, and she left, with something standing on her shoulders. Hiyori and Ichigo were still ruthlessly battling, as usual. They were still ruthlessly battling until the next day. I came out of the showers, fresh and clean and walked downstairs to the training room. Hiyori was still attacking, having the upper hand. And Ichigo was still sucky, being pummeled by Hiyori.

"Time's up." She said, taking off her mask. He snuck up behind her to attack, but he failed, and his mask broke, again.

"It was dangerous not giving me a warning! If the time that you can sustain a Hollow transformation has gotten longer, you should tell me!" She barked.

"Who's the one who's not giving any warning?! You're the one who said to endure it as long as possible!" Ichigo shot back.

"Now's not the time to be complaining! Next, next!"

I rolled my eyes as I sat down.

"She always leaves something out." I muttered.

He put back on his mask and they began fighting. I was analyzing more of their fights.

"Ichigo! Hiyori's right, nya! The first move you make after you put on your mask is slow! You'll die, nya!" I yelled.

Ichigo growled as they began to go at it again.

"How is it?" Shinji asked.

"His time extended by 0.5 seconds." Kensei said.

"Wow. That's a big development." Shinji said.

"He's so slow, nya! How do you call that a big development?!" I asked.

"He just doesn't have the talent..." Lisa muttered.

"We have no choice, but to continue and stick with him..." Shinji said.

I sipped on a juice box while waiting for the food.

"Kenseiiiiiiiiii! Wanna make me food, nya?" I asked, hopeful.

"No."

I hung my head in shame, but continued drinking my juice.

"You're so mean, Kenseiiiiiiiiii!" I yelled.

They continued training for a long time until I got bored of watching them.

"I'm gonna go watch Karakura Town for a bit. I'm so bored, nya!" I announced.

"Okay. Be back before dinner!" Shinji waved. I waved back and left the warehouse.

As I made my way towards the center of the town, I felt immense spiritual pressure, but compared to mine, very tiny. They were probably Arrancar.

I felt three figures so I summoned two clones. I told them what to do as I followed the one with the most spiritual pressure. The two went after the other two Arrancar.

I quickly sniffed him out and the direction he was heading towards. I ran across the street and saw a stuffed animal. It was talking!

I hid my reiatsu, and soon enough, the Arrancar I was chasing arrived.

He leapt down from the sky and towards the stuffed animal.

"Who are you?" He growled.

"K-Kon..." The animal said.

I grabbed the stuffed animal before the Arrancar could pummel it.

"I think I should be the one asking that question." I said, in the air.

The stuffed animal was in my arms, and I gently slapped it awake.

"Oi, you okay? Are you a mod soul?" I asked.

The lion nodded.

"You're Kon, right?" I asked.

"Yes. How...?"

"Never mind that. Here, sit on my shoulder." I said, putting the animal on my shoulder.

"Hai..." It replied, still dazed.

The blue haired Arrancar looked at me.

"Who are you?" He growled.

"You're an Arrancar, aren't you?" I asked.

"Yes. But what difference does that make? You're just-"

"I'm sure you've heard of me, then. Anyways, why are you here?" I asked.

"I've come to meet the man who can tell me how to use the Hogyoku."

"The Hogyoku? Who is that man?" I asked, curious.

"Kisuke Urahara."

My eyes slightly widened. Orihime and Yoruichi were talking about him... And he was the guy when I faced off with Ulquiorra... That blazing red reiatsu!

"I see. Did Aizen send you?"

"No. I am not in the same team as Aizen, for I have stolen the Hogyoku and plan to be the King of Hueco Mundo." He said, grinning.

"The King...?"

"Now... Are you going to get in my way?" He growled.

This Arrancar wants to be the King of Hueco Mundo, and he is not in league with Aizen, and he has the Hogyoku...

This was a trap.

Or was it?

He fired something at me, a blinding white-yellow light, but I deflected it in time with my hand.

"Oi! Are you okay?" Kon asked.

"I'm fine. Where do you live?" I asked, out of the blue.

"The Kurosaki Clinic." Kon answered.

I started running towards the clinic, full speed.

"You know Ichigo Kurosaki?" I asked.

"Hai!" He answered.

"We're here! And tell his family that he's doing well!" I picked him up from my shoulder and threw him to one of the open windows at the clinic.

The blue haired Arrancar was still chasing me, and I led it back towards where we first met.

"Who are you?!" He growled once more.

"I have no obligation to tell you who I am." I answered.

"Guess I'll have to fight you then..."

"Heh. You'll die before you can lay a scratch on me." I grinned.

He drew his sword and fired a blow at me. I easily dodged it and kept running.

Before I knew it, I was in front of some shop.

The Arrancar looked up at the sign above my head.

"What're you looking at?" I barked.

"This is the shop where that person is." He said.

I turned around, and the sign read "URAHARA'S SHOP".

I rolled my eyes. Way to go unnoticed.

The doors opened, revealing two kids and more stuffed animals.

"Run! You guys can't defeat him!" I yelled.

"Who are you?" The red haired kid growled.

"Does it matter? Just get away from here or the shop will blow apart!" I warned.

I blocked another shot from his sword, using my hand.

"Draw your sword like a man! Stop sheathing and unsheathing it!" I yelled, annoyed.

"Move out of the way!" He growled.

I stuck my tounge out and blew raspberries at him before he fired another one. This one was stronger, but not enough to hurt me.

I Shunpoed in front of him and kicked him square in the chest, sending him back a few meters.

"Give me the Hogyoku, Arrancar, and you won't get hurt." I said.

"N-never..."

"Hmf. Have it your way." I growled. I Shunpoed behind him and kicked him towards the shop. He tumbled across like a torpedo and then I flew right above his head and kicked him downward.

He fell into some underground place that looked an awful like our warehouse training room.

Suddenly, a red haired guy whose hair reminded me of a pineapple entered.

"Who're you?" He asked.

"None of your business." I growled.

"Heh. You're better than I thought you were. Now, get a taste of my zanpakuto!" The Arrancar yelled.

He unsheathed it, firing another blow at us.

I dodged it, and opened my eyes, revealing my dōjutsu. The commas in my eyes began to twirl as a black flame appeared on the Arrancar's leg.

"What the-" I looked towards Red Pineapple.

"You can handle this, right?"

"Y-yeah."

"Good. Then I'll leave this to you. And a word of advice, don't touch the black flames or it'll kill you." I said simply.

With that, I left the underground room and the shop. I called back my clones and made then disappear.

My eyes were still red, but I didn't care.

Now, for sure, I knew. The three Arrancar that came were idiots who couldn't be an Espada. I felt the other two Arrancar's reiatsu disappear.

The black flame that was on the Espada... It wouldn't burn out unless I told it to.

"Heh. Arrancar are such pests." I muttered, walking back to the warehouse.

* * *

Renji's POV

The black flame was slow, but it seemed painful. He began to scream but he could still attack.

Lirin, Kurodo, and Noba helped me out and eventually defeated the blue haired Arrancar.

Even though his body disappeared, the black flames remained.

Urahara and the others were back and so did Captain Hitsugaya and the others.

"What is that black flame?" Matsumoto asked after we had sorted everything out.

Captain Hitsugaya reached over to touch it, but I grabbed his hand, stopping it.

"Don't touch it!" I exclaimed.

"Why? It's just fire." Ikkaku retorted.

"The girl said so. She said if I touched the flame, I would die. When the Arrancar was hit with it, it was screaming and no matter how he tried to put it out, it was still there." I explained.

"What girl?" Ayagesawa asked.

"She had rust colored hair and green eyes. She's the one that destroyed the shop and led the Arrancar down here. After she created the flames, she left."

"A girl with rust colored hair?" Urahara asked. "She was wearing a uniform with a cream colored vest, right?"

"Yeah. You know her?"

"No. But she has been here a lot lately and I've been trying to figure out who she is."

"Well, when I came here, she didn't have any scratches on her. And her eyes turned red when she summoned the flames. That's all I know. She looks familiar though..."

Urahara kneeled next to the flames. Right as he was about to touch it, the flames disappeared.

What was that?

But more importantly, who was that girl?

* * *

**Hey guys, hypershay here! Uh, this story is kinda getting boring too in my opinion,but it will get better! I wrote a ton of stuff for this and it's all saved up but I just haven't had the time to upload anything... So please comment or follow or favorite or whatever! Thanks :)**


	8. Hachi

Rumi's POV

I was on the floor after yesterday's events and reading a comic book that Love let me borrow.

I had gotten a scolding for using my powers when I wasn't supposed to by Kensei, Shinji and Hiyori. So now, I have a bruise on my chin and multiple scratches on my face that were now covered with bandages.

And my butt was sore.

And Hiyori was letting out the anger from my mistake to Ichigo's training.

Love was reading aloud the lines of some manga and Rose was getting annoyed with his spoilers.

Drinking my juice box, I continued to read the manga.

"Love! Where's the next manga, nya?"I yelled.

"For that series, I don't have the next one!" He yelled.

"Give me some money so I can buy the next one, nya!"

He tossed me some money. "There. And stop adding -nya to everything you say! It's annoying!"

"Meanie! You're becoming like Kensei, nya!" I Shunpoed my way out of the warehouse, putting on a black cloak over my cloak and towards a manga shop near the park.

I drank my juice as I walked to the manga shop.

As I was purchasing the manga, I felt an immense spiritual pressure. I grabbed the plastic bag and walked back towards the warehouse, crossing the park.

I looked up and saw four people and octopus tentacles.

"What the heck? Octopus don't live in Japan!" I said, flabbergasted. One of it held a woman and pulled it closer to the main body.

I stepped on top of the tentacle that was holding the woman.

"What do you think you're doing, perverted Espada, nya!"

"What the... Who're you?" He asked.

"You just had to ruin my day, nya!" Just when I said that, a red light cut the tentacle, and before it could cut me, I stepped on the other tentacle.

I looked towards the direction it came from.

"Who did that, nya?!" I yelled.

"Man, that was close. Sorry about that." He apologized.

"Who're you?" Tentacle-guy asked.

"Oh, hello... I didn't introduce myself. Urahara Kisuke... I'm the owner of Urahara's Shop, a humble shop that sells cheap sweets. Pleased to meet you." He introduced, pointing his blade at the Espada.

Another Espada had snuck up behind him and tried to grab him, but Urahara knocked him away with the red attack.

"Who's that?" I asked, still standing on top of one of his tentacles. Then there was an explosion.

The strange Espada had fired a Bala at him. I rolled my eyes. After that explosion, Yammy had come up behind him and fired another one at Urahara's back.

I hopped off the tentacles and stood on the side of Yammy, balancing myself in the air.

"Oh, Yammy, long time no see, nya!" I greeted, waving.

"It's you... Rumi." He growled.

"Oh! You finally remember me, huh, nya?" I asked, drinking my juice from the juice box.

"Oh? You don't eat sweets anymore?" He asked.

"Nope, nya. How come Ulquiorra isn't with you?" I asked.

"None of your business. Now, where's that annoying guy?" He asked.

"Right behind you, nya." I said, pointing out the obvious.

Yammy fired a Bala at him again and multiple ones as he fell to the ground.

"Yare, Yare, Yammy. You're noisy as always! Say..." I paused, and I looked behind me. I had felt Ichigo's reiatsu.

"He's here...? But why...? Shinji, what have you planned...?" I muttered.

Suddenly, Yammy was in my face and he punched me with his Bala. A cloud of smoke appeared, and I was up in the air, upside down.

"Yare, Yammy! That hurt! It's rude to attack without telling the other person, nya!" I yelled.

"What the... How'd you deflect it?" He asked. "It's been centuries."

"Thanks for pointing out how old I am. Anyways, just because I'm old that doesn't mean I forget things, nya. Oh. And he is still alive."

"What?" Yammy turned and saw Urahara.

"Why am I alive, you may ask? It's this!" He blew up a black balloon, and it popped, creating a body that looked exactly like his.

"It's a portable gigai."

"I've never seen or heard anything like it!"

"That's because I haven't shown anyone ever since I made it. Well, I created it as a test, but this is pretty difficult to use." He said, squishing the cheeks together and deflating it. "I don't think that anyone besides myself can use it! It's also difficult to get the timing right when I want to use it to take my place. So, how well did I use it?" He asked.

Yammy looked flabbergasted. I giggled a little at his facial expression, but stopped.

"Did you know when I switched places with it?"

"Y-you piece of crap!" Yammy yelled. He fired a Bala at the man but he deflected it.

"I told you... That it won't affect me anymore." He simply said. I chuckled, but I felt uneasy. I looked towards where I sensed, faintly, Ichigo's reiatsu. Then another reiatsu joined him, but faltered.

Then I sensed Shinji's reiatsu. Seems like he saved the day.

I closed my eyes and focused. The Espada he was fighting... It was Grimmjow! And Shinji was wearing his mask!

He was actually serious... That's something new.

"Heh. You're really getting into it, huh." I sighed. I slid my hand over my eyes, my dōjutsu ready. My eyes were red now, and I was glaring at Yammy.

Before I was ready to attack, I faintly sensed Ulquiorra's reiatsu.

"Ulquiorra...!" I looked up, seeing the yellow light.

"Hmf. Yammy. You got lucky. Next time you come, don't be a coward and bring Ulquiorra with you." I growled.

"Tsk. Our mission's completed? Hmf. Maybe next time, Rumi." Yammy winked, then he disappeared into Hueco Mundo.

I looked up as Yammy ascended, my eyes still red. My cloak flung wildly, and soon, it tore off by the strong wind, revealing my black and red cloak underneath.

"I'll remember that you said that you were going to finish this! We'll finish this the next time we meet. I'll crush you!" Yammy yelled to Urahara. Then he turned to me. "I'll pass on the word."

"Thank you." I said.

Then with that, the Espada disappeared. My eyes began to change to their normal color, and I began heading back to the warehouse.

"Wait!" I turned and looked at Urahara.

"What?"

Urahara's POV

"Wait!" I stopped the girl from leaving. Her black cloak had blown away, revealing another one underneath. This one was also black, but with red clouds. This cloak seemed vaguely familiar...

"What?" She asked, hostility in her voice.

Her eyes. They were red. But it was fading.

Just like how Renji described it. She created the black flames.

"You... You're the one that destroyed my shop, right? A few days ago. You were battling an Arrancar." I said, trying to keep her with me as I studied her a bit more.

"I wouldn't call that battling. And I wouldn't call this a battle either. Anyways, your shop was fixed. I saw it on the way here. If you want to charge me for it, then you'll have to sniff me out. I have no more business with you, Kisuke Urahara."

With that, she vanished into the air. I tried looking for her reiatsu, but that was gone too.

She left without a trace.

Before we all went back to the shop, I tried searching for her cloak, the one that had blown away, but that was gone also.

All traces of her were clean. Maybe I could run through that cloak. The cloak had a unique design on it.

And she was wearing a white shihakusho and her obi was red with black designs. Very uncommon indeed.

A white shihakusho and a red cloud cloak... Even her reiatsu was different. A mixture of Soul Reaper and Hollow...

My eyes widened.

Could she be one of them?

Kon's POV

"That's amazing, Ichigo! You just apologized three times! Three!" I yelled, after Yuzu, Karin and his dad left. "That's an amazing new Japanese record!"

Then there was silence.

Ichigo had his head resting on his palm, staring into space. He looked depressed with the long face.

"What's wrong? You're acting gloomy! I know. It's that, isn't it? You feel guilty for not saving me the other day!" I accused.

This seemed to catch his attention.

"Why? Who rescued you? Did something happen?" He asked.

"A few days ago, I was walking down the street in search of another lady. Then, there was this guy with a lot of reiatsu. Before he could squish me, a girl saved me!" I said.

"What girl?" He asked.

"A girl with red hair and green eyes. Her reiatsu was immense; it was hard to breathe!" I said.

"Was she wearing a uniform?"

"Yeah... Why? Do you know her?"

"Never mind. Go on."

"She rescued me from that creep and threw me in here and told me that you were doing well. That's it." I ended.

"Oh. Her. Okay. Got it." He said emotionlessly.

"What?! Who was that girl? You know her, don't you?!" I accused.

"She's a classmate. And she can see us. That's it." He got up and laid on the bed. He then looked at his palm.

Was he palm reading?

What was he doing?

What was he up to?

"Whatever." With that, I sat on his desk and fell asleep, thinking about the girl that saved me.

She really was pretty.


	9. Ku

Rumi's POV

"I'm so boredddd! Ichigo's been gone for like a year, nya!" I whined, rolling on the floor.

"Shut up! Ichigo's only been gone for a week or two!" Kensei yelled, obviously annoyed with her.

"But why does it take him so long? It's not that hard to get past Arrancar and Espada, nya!" I complained.

"That's easy for you to say! He's not as strong as you!" Kensei shot back.

"He should be stronger by now! And I'm willing to bet that his mask time got longer, nya!" I pointed at him, getting up.

"Shut up!"

"Meanies! I'm leaving!" I yelled. I Shunpoed my way out and to the middle of Karakura.

I looked down at my feet, observing the town.

"What is this? A fake?" I asked. I circled around the area a couple times, trying to figure out how to get inside, past the barrier that someone set up.

"Hm... How to get in, nya?" I asked, sticking my lip out.

Then I got the idea.

"Aha! I got it!" I snapped my fingers and stepped inside.

I ran across and got to the other edge. I snapped once more and it re-opened and I saw multiple faces looking towards me.

I tugged on my hood tighter, not letting anyone see my face yet. I scanned the area for any familiar reiatsu.

I winced slightly as I felt the hot flames. I looked, and I saw three reiatsu that were encircled by the ring of fire.

It was them.

Aizen, Tosen, and Ichimaru.

What are they doing here...?

I snapped and the pathway closed. I approached the flames. The flames got hotter and hotter as I approached.

I extended my hand towards the flames when someone stopped my hand with a cane. I looked up, making the light expose my chin a little.

It was a long white bearded man with purple things weaves around it.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"I am wondering the same thing." Was his reply.

"I am not a threat. I can promise you that." I answered.

"How do I know you're not lying?" He asked.

"You can sense reiatsu. When someone is lying, their reiatsu formation wavers, I'm sure you know. So please. I have business with the man behind these flames." I said.

"We all have business with that man."

"Mine is of more importance than yours. Enough with this nonsensical quarrel. I will talk to Aizen." I growled.

Just then, a voice spoke from behind the flames.

"Is it you, Rumi?" His smooth voice asked.

"Who do you think it is? You obviously can sense reiatsu!" I yelled, annoyed.

"My, my, is that how you speak to your superiors?" He asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about! Anyways, I've come to ask a few questions, Aizen." I said.

"Sorry. But I didn't come here to answer your questions, Rumi-chan." I winced at the fact he called me that.

"I see. So I'll have to beat it out of you." I growled. I touched the flames, burning up my sleeve, but not my hand.

"Amaterasu." I said, and black flames emerged from the flames that were originally there, slowly consuming it.

I was thrown back a few meters by the old man and I got back up on my feet, still levitating above the ground, high up in the air.

"What is that black flame? And you call yourself not a threat?" He growled, obviously angry.

A few drops of blood trickled down my chin and onto the surface of the air I was standing on.

"I am not a threat. That black flame is Ameterasu. It'll keep them inside longer." I growled. "I'll talk to him later. It seems I'll have to get through you first to talk to him."

"Oi! Rumi!" I heard a voice from a higher level and I looked up.

I Shunpoed there, and smacked him on the head.

"What do you want?" I growled.

"Is that what you say after all these years?" He asked.

"Hmf. You haven't changed at all, Starrk." I said, flicking his forehead. He skidded back a few feet, grabbing his forehead in pain.

"That hasn't changed either. Ne, why are you wearing a hood?"

"Why not? It sucks enough that I don't know anyone here except you guys, so that already puts me down as one of their enemies... I'd rather not show my face." I sighed.

"Ne, what took you so long!" Came another voice. This one smacked my head, sending me skidding on the air.

"Itai! That hurt, Lilinette!" I winced.

"Hmf. Your hood's off now." She said.

I felt my head and I let out a string of curses.

"Damn you, Lily! Come here so I can kill you!" I yelled. I began chasing her, hands outstretched, making the burned and tattered part of my uniform flap against the wind.

"Oi, stop it you two." Starrk said, grabbing my collar. I began to choke; the collar was pressing hard against my neck.

I unfastened that one, letting Starrk have it. The other one I was wearing flapped against the rush of wind. This one was my favorite one. It was black with red clouds on it. I didn't know what it symbolized, but it felt oddly familiar and nice so I kept it.

"You still have that cloak? After all those years?" Starrk asked.

"It's my favorite, duh! You can keep that one!" I yelled back.

"I don't want it." He flung the cloak to the side and I clutched my heart dramatically.

"Ouch, Starrk! That hurt." I said, sarcastically. Then I saw something move.

"Starrk, above you." I said.

"Hmm...?" He looked up, then he blocked the man's attack with his sword and hopped back towards me.

"Who're you fighting? Well, I can't ask you that, cause you're the bad guy here." I sighed.

"Some captain. Hey, can you go and watch Lilinette for me?" He asked.

I looked down, towards a building and I saw her running, trying to get her sword back.

"Heh. Fine. I have nothing to do anyways. But remember, I'm Switzerland!" I said, as I Shunpoed down to where Lilinette and the white haired man was.

I Shunpoed down and sat next to her sword.

"Rumi?" Lilinette asked.

"Serves you right, Lily! Heh, this old guy can teach you a lesson!" I said, pointing up at him.

"Old man...? What a rude mouth you have! Why are you here?" He asked, his green eyes wide.

I froze at that question.

"Why am I here...? Oh yeah! Because I was bored! And nothing could cure it back home so I came here." I grinned.

"Oi! Rumi! Help me get my sword back!" She yelled.

I blew raspberries at her and made a funny face.

"That's what you get for taking off my hood!" I got up and took the sword, leaning it on my shoulder.

"I'll help you. She's quite annoying, isn't she? I'll make her work." I grinned.

I jumped off the ground and onto the air.

"Hey, Lily! I'll give you back my sword if you can touch my cloak!" I taunted.

"What?! Are you mocking me too?!" She yelled, getting on the same level as me.

"Time limit is 5 minutes! You can use any means. If you can't get it by that time, I'll kill you!" I grinned.

"Heh. Fine."

Then we got at it.

She ran towards me. The wind blew, blowing my cloak towards her.

She reached for it, but I Shunpoed out of her way. I was near where Starrk and that old man was fighting.

"C'mon, Lily! I told you, you can use any means!"

"Don't test me!" Then she blew a Cero at me and I blocked it with her sword easily.

She came through, and tried to touch it again, but I Shunpoed my way out again.

We did this for a good three minutes.

"C'mon, Lily! You have one more minute left!" I taunted, grinning.

"Shut up! Starrk! Help me!" She yelled.

"What can you do, Lily? I've got this guy to deal with." Starrk said, scratching his head.

"Nii-chan! You better help Lily! Or she will never get her sword-" Suddenly, my shoulders felt empty.

My cloak was gone.

"Hm! I win!" She grabbed her sword from my hand and walked towards Starrk.

"Hm! Cheater!" I yelled, blowing raspberries at her.

I Shunpoed to the highest point of all the battles, and I looked all around.

"Barra-jii released already... And so did Tiel... Hm. Showoffs!" I yelled.

Kyoraku's POV

That girl... She came out of a garganta...

She had on a black cloak with red clouds... Now she has a white shihkasho, with a design on her back that I can't see...

Is she an Arrancar?

"You've been staring at her for quite a while, Captain-san." Came his voice.

"Sorry, sorry. I can't help but wondering... Who is that child?" I asked.

"That... Child? Oh, her. She is an ex-Espada. Decimo Espada, also known as The Verdugo." He answered.

"An Espada? Her?"

"What're you talking about behind my back, Starrk?" Came a girl's voice.

It was her.

"Oi, show him your tattoo. It seems like he doesn't believe me." Starrk said.

"Oh, this?" She moved her hair and my eyes widened.

The number 10 was etched on her left side of her neck.

"You've been telling him that I was Decimo, huh?" She asked.

"He asked."

"Hm." She turned to me and grinned. "Don't worry; I'm not on their side anymore. And just because I was an Espada, it doesn't mean I'm a Hollow. But Starrk here, the Primera, is quite strong, old man! So show him your Ban... Ban... Bankai! Yeah, Bankai!" She said.

"She is right. I would like to see your Bankai." Starrk said.

"Hm. Guess I'm out." She said. She turned towards Starrk and grabbed his hand.

"Don't die, Starrk. You're not alone."

With that, she left.

"Lilinette!"

Rumi's POV

I left the battle, and began walking towards the black flames.

I purposely walked slow, trying to hear the progress of Starrk's and that Captain's battle.

Suddenly, a garganta opened, revealing another Arrancar.

Suddenly, he moved.

I followed him and saw its target.

I managed to grab his arm before he impaled him all the way.

I pulled his arm out. "Bala." He descended down towards the ground. I heard Starrk approach, but I grabbed the nozzle and deflected the Cero with my Cero, but the impact blew me away a few feet and both Captains fell.

"What the heck, Starrk! That's sneaky!" I yelled, my hand still raised. My hand was sizzling from his cero attack.

I descended down, and grabbed the Captains by their collars. Thankfully, they could hold their swords. I eased their fall and set them down gently onto the ground.

I winced as I got up from the floor, and I looked at my hand.

"My body isn't what it used to be, huh..." I sighed, clenching my hand repeatedly. The burn was still there; I didn't have instant regeneration powers like they did.

I looked over at the two captains and saw that they were slightly going on and off of their consciousness.

"Man, they are heavy..." I looked up, hearing the awful screeching noise.

The black flames were disappearing.

"What... Impossible." I looked towards the Arrancar and frowned.

"Who is that?" I muttered as I ascended towards that Arrancar.

My flames were disappearing and the three were out.

"Wait." Came a familiar voice.

I turned around and my eyes widened.

"You guys..."

"You idiot! What did I say about wandering off on your own?!" Kensei yelled, punching my stomach.

"That hurt, Kensei, you meanie!" I yelled, grabbing my stomach.

"Idiot!" All of them pounced on me, either punching me, kicking me, or squishing me with their weight.

"You're all so mean!" I yelled, grabbing my head, the place where it hurt the most.

"Next time, one of you have to tag along." Hiyori, Kensei, and Shinji growled.

"We were really worried about you. We couldn't get inside for a long time; if it wasn't for that man outside, we would've been searching forever." Hachi said, calmly. He and Rose were the only ones that didn't pounce on me.

I let go of my head. "Sorry about the trouble. But that's not of importance now, is it?"

"No." Shinji turned towards Aizen and his two minions. "Anyways, is there anyone from the Gotei 13 you guys want to talk to?"

"I'm good." Everyone chorused except Lisa.

I followed her, Shunpoing down towards a man.

"Oh, this guy. He's lucky I came when I did or else Starrk would've-" Lisa punched my face, making me fly back.

"How long are you going to play dead, idiot?" She growled at the guy, kicking his head further into the ground.

He let out a grunt, then lifted his head.

"Oh! He's still conscious." I said, getting up from the debris.

"What a surprise. Look how beautiful you've become since the last time I saw you." He said, his voice velvety.

I got up and looked at Lisa, who was blushing.

"Oh! Lisa, you're blushing! You like him, you like him; I told you so! Love and Rose were- Ack!" She threw a piece of concrete at me and it hit my stomach, making me fall over.

"Lisa's a meanie! You're just like Kensei, nya!" I cried, kicking my legs into the air.

Then something came hurdling towards me and landed on top.

"Urk! What the heck- Who is this? So heavy..." I groaned, digging my fingers to the ground.

"Lie down right there. I'll show you how strong I've become!" Lisa declared, facing her back towards him.

"Lisa-chan. I'm glad you're doing well." He said, getting up. He was sitting on me now, and it was getting uncomfortable.

"Idiot." With that, she was gone, reunited with the others.

"Oi! Old man! Get off of me!" I yelled.

"Hmm? Oh. Sorry, sorry." He scootched off of me and I was on the floor, even more dirty and more squished than before.

I rolled around and got up, sitting cross legged.

"Uggh. I have to go again... Oi, old man." I poked.

He didn't turn around, but gave me a grunt.

"You were Lisa's captain, weren't you?" I asked.

"Yeah."

"Division 8?"

"Hm."

"Heh. Make sure you stay alive. Starrk can really kill you if he tries. He..." I paused. "Never mind."

I stood up, brushing off some dirt and dust from my white shihkasho.

"Hey..." He said.

He was completely turned around, his face slightly bruised from the impact and his clothes dirty and ripped up.

"What?" I asked, straightening myself.

"Do you know how old you are?" He asked suddenly.

I frowned, thinking a little. "No. And make sure to watch Lisa. She sure has missed you."

With that, I left, rejoining the Visored. Shinji came back from his talk with the old bearded man.

That weird Arrancar had rejoined his pet and was screaming.

Then he let out a mouthful of Menos, and Shinji began playing with his hat.

"Let's go." He threw his hat and we all put on our masks, minus me.

We each charged at the Menos, and we attacked.

I kicked a few that were lined up in dominoes, crushing each of their skulls.

Mashiro was doing similar things.

One fired a Cero at me, but I went through, and cracked its skull with my hand.

"Hmf. This is way too easy!" I yelled, my adrenaline pumping. Love was hand tearing them apart.

"Love, you're disgusting!"

"Shut up! You're way too soft!" He yelled back, ripping up some more.

I blew raspberries at him and charged at another Menos. I kicked it in the face, and shattered some more masks along the way.

Kensei took the last one, and Mashiro was dealing with that weird animal and that Arrancar.

I appeared next to Shinji, in front of Aizen.

He gave us a menacing grin. I scowled, but Shinji was pretty riled up too.

"How is it? We've gotten pretty good at using our Hollowfication, haven't we? Aizen..." With that, he took off his mask. "Let's end this."

With that, we both charged at Aizen, Shinji with his sword and me with a Bala.

Before we could land a blow, a sword got in our way. I tried to block it with my hand, but failed. It cut Shinji's forehead and a couple strands of my hair before we fell back.

"Tch. The Blind Bodyguard." I growled.

"I missed?" He asked.

"Don't be ridiculous. You hit me." Shinji replied.

"And you cut my hair. You are so dead." I growled, my reiatsu levels rising.

"I wanted to slice off everything above your left eye. I don't consider that a hit." The blind guy said.

"Big talk coming from a small fry." Shinji commented, feeling the cut on his forehead.

"You must really hate the fact that you're going to be killed by a small fry." He said.

I ran towards him, hand outstretched. He came towards us, sword facing front. I was about to hit him when a big guy came out and knocked the blade out of my way.

I jumped back, surprised.

"What the... Who is that?" I growled, irritated.

"Allow me to assist you, masked visitor." The guy said.

"Are you sure you want to help shady looking guys like us?" Shinji taunted. "Then again, you look pretty shady yourself."

"Ugh! All these Shinigami! They're pissing me off!" I yelled.

"Shut up, Rumi. They're just trying to help." Shinji said.

"You fought against those Menos Grande. That alone is enough for me to call you an ally!" The wolf guy said. "I have decided to fight with you! I will not hear any objections, masked visitor!"

"Geez. We do something nice and we're immediately allies. How pathetic." I sighed. "Well, okay then."

I shunpoed my way away from the wolf guy and Tosen.

I appeared in front of Aizen once more. Now only Gin was by his side.

"Aizen."

"Rumi Minamoto. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

"What's with that attitude?"

"Just trying to make friends with an old acquaintance." He said.

"I'm not your acquaintance anymore. I am your enemy, like the many gathered here." I growled.

"I take it you don't want to talk?"

"You probably won't answer my questions anyway." I hissed, my eyes slowly shifting to the Sharingan stage.

He chuckled and my frown got deeper.

"I'm coming, Aizen. Brace yourself."


	10. Juu

Rumi's POV

I was about to strike Aizen when a sword stopped my movements. It was Sakanade, aka Shinji's sword.

My eyes slightly widened as I looked up to see his flowing blonde hair. Suddenly, there was a flash and Shinji's hair appeared way longer and he was dressed weirdly, but it faded as soon as it came.

"Shinji, what do you mean by this?" I asked.

"I'll deal with him first. You can strike him whenever there's an opening. I have to fight him." He said.

I was about to protest, but the posture, the way he was holding his zanpakuto, and the tone of his voice screamed no.

"I get it. I'll stay out of your way... For now. I'll go help Love or something. But it doesn't mean I won't strike against him."

"I know."

I Shunpoed my way out of the inner circle and towards Love and Rose.

They were battling Starrk's and Lilinette's wolves.

"How nostalgic." I muttered as I descended.

One exploded after another in Rose's and Love's faces. Parts of their masks were blown off, and they were quickly getting tired.

Love had said that it was a Cero, but I knew better. How long had I been with Starrk and Lily?

The wolves came back towards the two Visored and I swooped in between them, raising my hands.

"Hajikidasu." I commanded. The wolves were pushed back a few meters after my command.

I saw Starrk's eyes widen slightly, but the dogs attacked again. I raised up my burnt hand and said, "Insaidofosu."

His eyes widened as he tried to call the wolves back, but they couldn't move. They all exploded, but I was shielding the three of us, using my other hand, from the impact. Now that hand was sizzling too.

"Starrk. Lilinette. Let's end this. There's no more use in struggling like this anymore. One of us is going to die." I said, my voice serious.

He began to descend towards the big water tower. As he did so, I noticed something.

"Starrk! Hajikidasu!" I yelled, thrusting a palm towards him.

"What the-" A sword plunged out of his shadow and plunged into a little of his stomach area. I winced slightly, regretting the fact I hadn't seen sooner.

My eyes had shifted once more and because of that, I was able to detect the man that was hiding beneath Starrk, in his shadow.

The man revealed himself and my eyes widened a little.

He had that ability... How? What is his sword...! I looked at his swords and saw two women.

"Women... You have female zanpakuto spirits?" My voice was a whisper now. I had never seen a man wield women-spirited zanpakuto before, nevertheless two spirits.

The sword was pulled out of Starrk's stomach. He turned around, slightly touching his wound. He looked at me, but his eyes didn't soften as they always did.

I see... So that's how you feel.

I closed my eyes, and the redness vanished, leaving my eyes to its original color, a pale green.

I let out a small sigh and raised up my sleeves a little for his next attack. Both of my hands were burnt and messed up, but for now, it wasn't worthy of my attention.

" Kanashimi no Senshi." I commanded. I extended my hand out and a light appeared near my extended hand. It began to form into a sword-like shape and it finally stopped glowing. A sword appeared in my hand, and I clutched it tightly.

"Rumi! You can't be serious...!" Rose and Love yelled. I looked down at them, my eyes paler than usual. They immediately quoted down, and looked at me with worried eyes.

"You guys should rest. I'll take care of the rest. You did well." I said softly.

Then I turned my head towards Starrk and he gave me a nod.

"When the time comes." I told him. I leaped into the air, levitating above all of them, waiting for the time.

I watched them both fight and talk. I got the hint that Starrk wasn't enjoying the fight and that he was slightly oppressed by the old man.

They began fighting again, Starrk with his two swords. I observed the spot where they fought and the cloud of smoke and dust that erupted.

"Lilinette!" Came Starrk's voice.

Impossible... I closed my eyes, trying to detect some part of Lilinette's reiatsu.

There was none.

I opened my eyes and clutched my scabbard tighter. The time was approaching faster.

Starrk was remembering his times with Lilinette and was fighting without thinking.

Then Starrk began attacking again, announcing the color white. He better finish this quickly.

A cloak flung in his face and I was down there in an instant.

I kicked the man's blade aside and was now face to face with Starrk.

"Anata ni jihi o sazuke suru koto ga." I said.

"Thank you, watashi no kawaii imōto. And... I'm sorry." He smiled gently before putting a hand to my cheek.

My blade came in contact with his chest as I struck him down. He descended towards the ground, his body limp. I placed a hand over his body and closed my eyes.

"May the heavens grant you mercy and may you never feel lonely or sorrowful again... Coyote Starrk and Lilinette Gingerbuck. Ten ni kieru." With that, Starrk's body ascended and vanished.

I flung my sword to the side, flicking the blood off of my blade.

I closed my eyes in respect, and I began to recall the first moments the time I met Starrk and Lilinette.

They had been bare except for the cloak on their bare backs. There were mountains of Hollows nearby them.

He had asked me if my comrades were strong. He had told me that he hadn't been responsible for the mountains of Hollows beside them. He had told me they were looking for comrades.

He had hesitated, but got up to follow me.

He said that I didn't look like the type to die by their presence alone.

And that's where it all began.

They were both formed out of loneliness. And they had each other, until the very end.

My hands began to tremble as I began to walk towards Aizen.

I couldn't even control my reiatsu anymore. They began flaring off randomly, but I didn't care.

My hands were already stained. Countless times. I was already a monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monster. Monst-

A hand interrupted my thoughts as it leaned on my shoulder. The hand was slender, long and pale.

"Rumi. Your hands are shaking. Are you all right?" He asked softly.

"Sorry. I'm just excited, that's all." I looked up at Rose and gave him a very fake, happy smile.

I sheathed my sword, and gripped it tightly as I began walking towards where Shinji and Aizen were.

3rd Person's POV

Rumi began trudging towards where Shinji and Gin were fighting.

Rose looked towards her worriedly, but now was not the time. Rumi sought revenge. He felt it on his skin when he had stopped her briefly on the way. She even had the strength to give him a fake smile.

Love wanted to go after her, but Rose stopped him.

"Say... That girl. Why did she get in the way?" Captain Kyoraku asked.

"That Espada... It was Coyote Starrk. A strong fellow, being Primera. Back when she wasn't part of us, she belonged to the Espada. I'm sure she showed you her tattoo. They were the closest to each other, even though they were different ranks. They were like melody and harmony, woven together with an unknown bond. Then she found us and left. They probably understood each other throughout the battle and that's probably why she did what she did." Rose explained. "Well, that's my theory."

"You're wrong, Rose. But that's a story for another time." Came Rumi's distant voice. The three men turned, facing the little girl. She was facing them, her large, pale green eyes holding more sorrow than a girl her appearance should have.

"I get it. Now, go get him, tiger." Love encouraged.

She smiled a little, a little bit happy about them understanding her situation.

"I'm not a tiger. I'm a dragon, remember?" Her eyes lifted as she smiled gently. Then she turned around and continued to advance.

"Her eyes... They're unusual." Kyoraku commented.

"They've gotten paler. When we first met her, her eyes were darker." Rose said.

Those two symbols... And her appearance... She looks like she comes from a legendary story...

Are you sure you're okay, Rumi?...

You're strong, Rumi. Endure it.

Aizen approached Tiel and drew his sword. Before he could slash her though, an unknown force had pushed Tiel out of the way and the sword collided with another as a girl came in-between the Espada and the ex-Captain.

They stood there momentarily, their swords locked. Then Aizen drew back his sword and sheathed it.

"I'm not here to fight you. Gin, Kaname. Let's go." He said smoothly.

"That doesn't mean I don't have business with you, Aizen." Rumi growled, as she brought down the sword to Aizen's throat.

Another blade came down, aiming at Rumi's neck also. She stopped the blade with her hand, making it bleed. Her arm swing didn't stop until a hand caught her wrist from moving.

It was Gin Ichimaru's hand.

She wretched her hand away from the fox-like man with disgust as she clutched onto her sword tighter once more.

"As I said, I'm not here to waste time on you." Aizen said, malice in his voice.

"I didn't come here to mingle with Shinigami or Espada, Aizen. And you know that very well." Rumi growled.

She was about to charge him again when she heard the annoying battle cry of the weird Arrancar.

She looked down, analyzing the fight.

"Mashiro..." She whispered. Then she turned to look towards Kensei.

"Kensei, kill him. He's a nuisance already and he hurt Mashiro. Stop going easy on him 'cause he's a kid!" She commanded.

Kensei winced but nodded. She gave him a small thumbs up, then turned her head.

She then turned her attention to Aizen, who seemed overly happy and cocky about this whole thing.

The rest of the Visored joined together, minus Kensei and Mashiro.

Hiyori and Lisa both made their masks disappear.

"Aizen... Let's settle the score that happened 100 years ago." Hiyori announced. Aizen didn't reply.

"You know... I really liked those days back in the Soul Society! Soul Reapers are always in death's way because of their existence and line of work. We may die the next day. We may be talking at one moment and be dead in the next. No one talks about it, but everyone has that thought in the corner of their minds. We saw death up close. We felt death up close. That's why we were able to cherish each day. Death will eventually come to us all. But that's what made us united. That's what I believed. But you..." Hiyori growled. "Aizen... I don't hate you because you betrayed us. I hate you because you made me hurt my friends! You used me... And trampled on our bonds and our feelings! Aizen!" She yelled, facing him, full of determination and rage. "I'm seething with an anger that's been boiling for a hundred years! I won't go back to the way I was until I kill you!" She declared, swinging her sword at him.

"Don't approach him carelessly." Shinji warned. "Aizen's got that power. If you approach him recklessly, it's over."

"I know that." Hiyori said, her voice fuming with anger.

"You idiot. I'm talking to you!" Shinji yelled, facing Hiyori. "Relax, Hiyori."

"How typical. You have such caring words, Captain Hirako. But it's so silly to say that it'll be over if you approach me recklessly. Even if you approach me recklessly or carefully, or even if you don't approach me at all, the end result will be the same. I'm not talking about things to come. Your end is inescapable. It's an event of the past." Aizen taunted.

Rose and Love clutched their swords tighter at his words.

"What is there to fear? All of you died that night a hundred years ago."

Hiyori launched herself towards Aizen, her teeth clenched in anger and fury.

"Hiyori!"


	11. Juu Ichi

3rd Person's POV

As soon as Hiyori raised her sword, her body was struck by a sword.

And so was Rumi's hand.

She had seen the attack coming, but it was too late. She had tried to warn her, but it was too late. She had tried to stop the attack, but it had been so sudden that she wasn't ready.

"One down." Gin grinned. Hiyori began falling, her sword out of her hands. As she fell, Shinji caught her and set her down on a collapsed building.

"Isn't Ichigo here yet? Ichigo!" Shinji yelled. He desperately turned towards Rumi.

"Rumi! You used a Garganta to get in here right? Then you can connect us to Hueco Mundo and bring Orihime! You can do that, right?" He yelled, his voice thick with desperation.

Rumi closed her eyes and tried to connect herself with Hueco Mundo, but the connection wouldn't come through.

"Sorry. The gates to Hueco Mundo are closed. Not even you can go through." Aizen taunted.

Rumi opened her eyes, and her eyes began to transform, her iris turning crimson red and her pupils transforming into a triple swirl, centered at the center of her pupils.

"Do you hate me?" Aizen asked. Shinji looked up, with a look that could kill. "If you do, then come at me. I shall make an exception for you and fight you with my sword."

Shinji set Hiyori down softly as Hachi came down.

"Hachi..."

"Yes?" He asked, already arrived at the scene.

"Sorry to ask you for this in your current condition, but take care of Hiyori. Do whatever you can to keep her alive. Just until Ichigo returns." Shinji said, getting up.

"I will." Hachi said.

Shinji was now facing off Aizen, his hand on the handle of his sword.

"Until Ichigo returns, huh? You trust that boy quite a lot, don't you?" Aizen asked, cocking his head to the side a little.

"It's something you can't understand. Not someone who can't even trust his comrades. Believing is the same as relying. That is something the weak do. We have no need for that."

"That's pretty rich coming from a guy with that many henchmen. You used your silver tongue to trick your subordinates into trusting you."

"No. I've never told my subordinates to trust me. I told them to follow me, but I never told them to trust me. I always told them never to trust anyone, including me. But sadly, there aren't any who are strong enough to do that. All creatures are unable to survive unless they trust and obey someone who is better than they are. To escape that pressure, those who are better than others search for their superiors. Those who are superior, search for even stronger individuals they can believe in. Thus the king of everything was born. Thus the god of everything was born." Aizen gave Shinji a menacing stare, pausing for a moment. "Don't believe me yet, Shinji Hirako. I'm going to take my time and show you which god you should believe in. You can decide on what to believe afterwards."

There was a sudden gush of wind, and a purplish black light. Tosen had his hand covering his face, the blackish purple light forming at his palm.

Rumi's eyes widened, when she shoulder known that this could've been a possibility, him being Aizen's subordinate and all.

His body was covered with the Hollow skin, a full mask covering every part of his face. There were no eye slits; there were no openings in his mask except for a thin line through the middle from his forehead and down to the chin area.

Rumi's red eyes narrowed at the sight, clearly not pleased by what she was seeing. Her mind, thoughts and emotions were being trampled by this very battleground, and it barely has been an hour since she entered.

The wolf Captain, Komamura, began battling a Hollowfied Tosen, obviously Tosen having the upper hand in the battle.

Aizen drew his sword, the blade shining in the sunlight.

"You finally drew your sword. You sure like to take your time." Shinji commented.

Rumi was concentrated on Shinji and Aizen, planning to aid Shinji if he needed to.

"Are you scared? It's no use trying to ignore me. No matter how strong you are you must still have your doubts. You said it yourself a hundred years ago. That's why you don't know anything about my zanpakuto's powers."

"Do you think I can't do anything unless I know its power?" Aizen asked.

"Who knows? But I already know that your zanpakuto controls your opponent's senses."

"Are you saying that's my disadvantage?"

"No, I'm not. Let me tell you this, Aizen. If you think your Kyokasuigetsu is the only zanpakuto that can completely control a person's senses, you're gravely mistaken." Shinji held his sword tightly.

"Kyokasuigetsu... Complete hypnosis of the five senses... Be careful, Shinji." Rumi warned.

His gaze didn't falter, but he had gotten Rumi's message. Don't screw up, or else you'll die, and I'll have to get your corpse, kill Aizen, then smack your corpse a couple of times, then give you a burial. That's how thing worked between them two.

"Collapse, Sakanade."


	12. Juu Ni

3rd Person's POV

"Your sword has an interesting shape."

"Nice, isn't it? You can't borrow it, though." Shinji remarked.

Shinji's sword, Sakanade, was indeed unique. Its pommel was circular and hollow, allowing Shinji to maneuver it without actually gripping the sword. The blade also had holes in it.

"But... I don't sense anything different. Perhaps I misheard what you said about controlling one's senses." Aizen said.

"What're you talking about? Things are already different. Oh, my, what's this?" Shinji taunted. The surrounding area began to emit something pink. "Do you smell something good? It's too late to hold your breath. Welcome... To the inverted world." Shinji greeted.

Now, Karakura, to Aizen's eyes, was flipped over, and even though they were standing upright, it would seem to him that he was standing upside down in the air.

Rumi could tell, since she was using her Sharingan, and it didn't seem to affect the other fights and things that were going on.

The Visored were pretty close, but not close enough to be affected by Shinji's Shikai. Shinji purposely avoided them and the others, leaving Rumi, Aizen, and himself exposed to the illusion. Rumi had trained with Shinji for decades, learning to fight while enveloped in his illusion, with and without her eye technique.

"This is the power of Sakanade. It reverses your opponent's sense of direction. It's like a trap in a puzzle game. Isn't it amusing? Then again, you probably don't play video games. Do you?" Shinji asked.

"This certainly is interesting. Everything is reversed... Up and down, left and right. And even front and back." Aizen turned, his hands gripped on the sword, to block Shinji's sneak attack from behind.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" He smirked.

Shinji brought down the blade, and cut Aizen's arm, much to his shock.

"It seems you didn't notice. Up and down, left and right, and front and back are reversed. And... The direction you're facing and the direction which you're being attacked from is also reversed." Shinji informed. "Up and down, left and right, front and back... The direction from which you're taking damage." Karakura began shifting again, making Aizen go upside down, and Shinji and Rumi right side up.

"Can you really fight while reversing all of that inside your head? It's impossible. No one can do that. Whether you're a Soul Reaper, an Espada, or a human, the sense you use the most is sight. You fight by using visual information. But Sakanade makes it impossible to fight based on sight. Even if you're able to react, it's impossible to control your reflexes." He smirked. "Unfortunately, the stronger you are and the more used to battle you are, the more your body will react to the things you see in battle!"

Shinji charge, first aiming for Aizen's right, then left. Aizen turned, facing Shinji. He came down, but Shinji moved, appearing to his right. Aizen struck again, but Shinji, again, moved out of the way.

"I'm over here!" Shinji taunted, making Aizen turn his head. Shinji attacked from above. "What's wrong, Aizen? I'm getting the better of you! I've got you!" Shinji struck down, and Aizen tried to block, but got his leg.

"Not bad, Aizen. Even though everything is reversed, you managed to dodge my double and triple bluffed attack. You're really impressive. But... It ends here." Shinji grinned, turning his head to face Aizen.

Shinji charged, his voice full of anger and determination. "This is the end, Aizen!"

A sword came down, slashing one's back.

"That's all? It wad all nothing more than a visual illusion." Aizen smirked.

Shinji's back was sliced, the blood spurting everywhere.

"What?" Shinji asked, surprised. Rumi's eyes widened also. She had been keeping careful watch of Aizen's moves, but she hadn't seen that one.

She thought Shinji had it in the bag... Aizen...

"You were talking about battles that rely on sight. Did you really think I was fighting that way?" Aizen asked.

"Wh-what do you mean?" Shinji asked, turning around.

"There's nothing to be surprised about. You judged where I was bases on how you saw me fight using your five senses. if I change your senses a little, the rest is easy. Your power is a far cry from my ability to control all five senses. It's child's play, Shinji Hirako."

"Aizen!" Came an angry yell. Rumi and the others looked down at the wolf-Soul Reaper, Komamura.

"I won't forgive you, Aizen!" He yelled. His yellow eyes were blazing with anger, sadness and hatred. Rumi turned her head to face Aizen, smelling the blood and knowing what happened to his friend, Tosen.

Aizen had no more use for him anymore. So he destroyed him after he was beaten by Komamura and the tattoo kid.

Suddenly, something shattered behind Aizen, revealing Ichigo.

Rumi's eyes widened. He had come through a Garganta and was now charging at Aizen.

"Ichigo..."

Ichigo raised his arms, getting ready to fire Getsugatensho to Aizen. He fired twice, and then a third time at Aizen.

"A garganta... How?" Rumi asked, astonished, her black and red eyes wide with sudden surprise.

Aizen was enveloped in a light, blocking Ichigo's Getsusa. Aizen fired back the three blows, irritating and surprising Ichigo.

"What?" Ichigo asked, startled.

"It's been a while, hasn't it? Ryoka boy..." Aizen greeted.

He then moved from his spot.

"Ichigo! In front of you!" Rumi yelled, alerting him.

Ichigo's brown eyes widened, even after Rumi's bit of info, but dodged the attack.

"Your attack was good, but the place you aimed for wasn't. The back of anyone's neck is any creature's greatest blind spot. Did you think that I would participate in this battle without placing proper protection? Let me guess what you're thinking." He told Ichigo. "You think you made an error of judgment in your first attack. You think you should've Hollowfied yourself before attacking. You think that if you had done that, it would've ended this. Am I wrong?" He asked.

Judging by Ichigo's expression, Rumi saw that Aizen was right. It was so expected of him to be always right about everything. Well, almost everything.

"Attack me." Aizen challenged. I will show you that your thoughts are arrogant."

At that statement, Ichigo put on his mask.

Rumi's eyes widened a bit more at his mask. The design was different. Instead of the streaks being on the left side, there were two sprouting near the eye slits down to the teeth, then continuing down to the bottom edges of the mask.

"Ichigo... What happened to you at Hueco Mundo...!" Rumi jerked back, looking at the Garganta.

She no longer felt his reiatsu. She peered deeper, looking for a hint of green, but she found none.

"Ulquiorra... I see. So that's what happened." Rumi whispered, absorbing in the facts she was getting.

"That's right. Come on."

"Getsugatensho!" Ichigo yelled. Rumi put a hand in front of her face and her eyes returned to their normal color. She realized that this wasn't her battle.

But she needed answers.

She let Ichigo and Aizen talk for a while and share a few blows, but she decided to step in.

She slashed part of his arm with her scabbard that she summoned, freeing her hand from Ichimaru's blade.

Aizen turned, clearly amuse by her tactics.

"Rumi Minamoto. How nice of you to finally act."

"I'm not here for you. I'm not doing any of this for you or for anyone here. I'm doing this for answers." Rumi growled, her pale green eyes blazing with hate.

"Hmm?" Aizen asked.

"Starrk, Lily, Bara-jii, Halibel, Ulquiorra, Nnoitora, Grimmjow, Zommari, Szayelapoero, Aaroniero and Yammy, as well as the Privaron Espada, Nel and even me... You used us. Now they're all dead, dying or hurt. I will never forgive you for using all of them just to stab them in the back." Rumi growled.

"So what? They were only tools for my use. They became part of my army to obey me and serve me. They fulfilled their purpose." Aizen lied smoothly.

"You're wrong. You threatened them, gave them false hope, tricked them, deceived them with your silver tongue. And all for a flimsy thing you call power. What will you do afterwards? What will you do after you kill all of us then the Soul King?" Rumi growled.

"I'll rule the universe... But before that, we'll need to pay your family a little visit... Then I'll kill you, or maybe I'll use you even more." Aizen grinned, his brown eyes looking sadistic and evil.

Rumi's eyes began to swirl and change color, forming into a triple swirled shape.

"You monster..."

Rumi was about to charge, when Shinji stopped her with his hand.

"Rumi... Calm down. You're not in your best thinking mode right now. And change your eyes. You've used them too much already. You'll seriously lose your eyesight." Shinji warned.

"Does eyesight really matter? Don't you want to kill him? We're the only ones with the most logical, reasonable sense to kill him! Why are you hesitating?! Is it because of-!"

Rumi dropped her scabbard and clutched her head near her left eye. Her vision was getting hazy and she had seen something blurry and vague, but it had nothing to do with Aizen.

Shinji was beside her, his hands hovering over her, worried. Rumi gently pushed his hands away from her face, but allowed him to help her stand up.

Her Sharingan began to fade away, but her gaze with Aizen never broke.

"What... What did you do...?" She asked, Aizen, panting and out of breath.

"Just showed you a sneak preview of what's to come." He taunted.

Rumi's eyes widened as she tried to charge towards him, but Shinji shunpoed them out of the sky to where Hiyori and Hachi were.

"Hachi, take care of her, and make sure she doesn't use her eyes again." Shinji said.

"All right." Hachi agreed.

Hachi had her pinned down with one of his techniques, but she could still talk, breath and wiggle around. This spell blocked her advancements of using her eyes or any other jutsu she could potentially use, but it was pretty weak, considering that Hachi, at the moment, only had one hand.

Rumi looked up towards Ichigo and the other Soul Reapers, then at Aizen.

"Ichigo... You have to win." She muttered. "For the sake of everyone here and the future generations to come."

Rumi heard footsteps approaching the area and she looked across. A black haired woman who had her hair braided from her chest down approached.

She glanced at Rumi, then at Hachi. She began healing her first, relieving Hachi from trying to stop her injury from getting worse.

Hachi sent a worried look at Rumi's direction, but Rumi was too busy looking at the fight. The Captains and the Visored were all helping Ichigo, creating an opening so they could strike.

She was also whispering the directions Aizen would be going after each attack, pinpointing all the ways he could go. The possibilities in her head were endless, but Rumi could still pinpoint the most likely locations.

Hachi looked up at the on going battle between the Captains, the Visored against Aizen, then back down at Rumi.

An unknown force blew everyone back, and a raised blade was protecting Aizen.

"Rumi... What're you doing?" Shinji growled. "Why're you protecting him?"

Her eyes were red, and designed with a black design, allowing her to see in her own way.

"What do you think you're doing?" Rumi asked, darkly. She muttered an incantation, summoning one exact clone of herself.

The Rumi clone blocked the white haired boy's incoming attack while Rumi tried to block that old man's attack, but she slightly missed, and it went through her middle part of her stomach and into Aizen's.

"Rumi! What are you doing?!" Shinji yelled.

"You Shinigami are all so incompetant. Open your eyes! Do you really think Aizen will get hurt by attacks like these? This isn't Aizen! This is one of your people!" Rumi yelled.

"What?" Everyone seemed shocked out out of their minds. A girl replaced Aizen's body, and she was being held up by the bode that was piercing both of them.

"Ichigo! Why didn't you say anything! This girl-" Rumi let out a cough, drenched with blood. She winced as the blade slightly moved, but pulled it out of both of them, and caught the girl with her arms. The girl was weak enough, but to be stabbed... At this rate...

Blood dribbled down both of their lips, but the girl couldn't move. She quickly brought her down to the braided hair lady who had just finished healing Hiyori. She set her down next to Hiyori and shunpoed to where Aizen would be next.

"Move!" She yelled at the two men who were approaching the same girl. The fake.

A blade flung in the air, and a force pushed the two men back, and the clone and Rumi both were hit by Aizen's attack.

The clone slowly faded, and Rumi's hand was perched on the bloodstained blade that was in her side, puncturing one of her lungs.

"Damn it..." Rumi cursed.

"My, my... I can't believe you saw through that attack, Rumi. Very impressive. When?" He asked.

"How could I not see it? It was so blatantly obvious..." She coughed up some more blood, and Aizen tried to take his blade. But Rumi held on with both hands, her sword fallen somewhere in the midst of the debris.

"Where do you think you're going, Aizen? Don't think you'll escape me now, after I've caught you!" She growled.

"Oh the irony... Since when have I become the monster, Rumi? I havent. You were always it. You are the monster. And now, I've caught you in my lovely trap." He chuckled.

Suddenly, there was a yell, and a whoosh of icy air.

He impaled Rumi to the white haired- boy captain, therefore, getting rid of the body from his sword. Then, he slashed the boy's left shoulder and down, cutting off the left part of his ice wing and his whole left arm.

Rumi's body was thrown off to some nearby debris after the impact with the boy Captain's sword.

Blood began to dribble constantly from her mouth as she struggled to get up.

Her Sharingan quickly faded, seeing that she was badly injured. Her eyes were getting darker, a darker shade of green, unlike her natural eye color, which was a pale green.

As she struggled to get up, the others began to attack Aizen, but failing.

"Stop... Stop attacking him...!" She vomited a lot of blood onto the concrete floor, as she was trying to reach where Aizen was.

She saw the brown-haired old man captain and Shinji get cut up badly, and her eyes widened in horror.

She finally found the strength to get up, and she stood up wobbly, her white shihkasho stained with dirt and her blood.

Now almost everyone who had been combat-able was down, minus Ichigo.

Rumi barely made it to where Ichigo was standing, but then she fell on her knees, exhausted and bleeding out from major wounds, consisting of a collapsed lung, and two pierced major organs.

"Ichigo... You should've warned them earlier. But I don't blame you. You probably didn't see it until a few seconds later we got stabbed, huh?" She asked, grinning a little.

Ichigo could only nod. If it wasn't for this girl, what would've happened to that Soul Reaper?

"It's okay, Ichigo. I don't blame you. You still have much to learn, but now's not the time. It's your chance to defeat Aizen. But first, you need to be wary of different things. Aizen is strong, and you don't want to charge in without a plan. His kyotensuigetsu is a sneaky blade and it'll hit you before you know it." She explained.

"Rumi-san... You need to stop talking. You're still bleeding and I think one of your lungs isn't working." Ichigo said worriedly.

"No. You need to listen. I won't be able to fight Aizen anymore. But you will. Since you haven't been exposed to his Shikai yet, you still have an advantage over the others, which your dumb friends and my dumb friends foolishly announced. Anyways, you need to be alert. If you notice a small change in Aizen, anything at all, that could be a hint to you. It's hard explaining this, but do you get it so far?" She asked, eyebrow slightly raised.

"I think so." Ichigo replied.

Rumi smiled and tapped his chest.

"Believe in yourself, Ichigo. You're not alone; if you need help, just call me. I'll be there." With that, she was gone.

She was in mid-air, catching the three Captains and Shinji as they descended towards the ground.

They dragged down her speed by a lot, considering how heavy they were, and how 75% was men and there was only one woman. They were still conscious, thankfully.

She carried them to the healing lady, whom Hachi said her name was Unohaha. She set them down near Hiyori and the others.

She began collecting the others who were injured before and after Aizen began his move.

She collected the ones closest first, that being the two guys who were almost slashed up, and a busty, strawberry blonde haired girl. Next, it was the tattoo guy and the arms of the wolf captain. Then she went to go get the wolf Captain's full body.

Next was Mashiro and that white haired man Captain who was with the brown haired old man captain. She got both of them and brought them over to where Hachi and Unohana were, who was beginning to work on the wounded.

Rumi's breathing was more labored now, and Hachi insisted that she rest and get healed up also.

"But Ichigo... Ichigo needs my help, Hachi." Rumi said, her voice hoarse and her breathing labored.

"After you've been healed, Rumi-chan. After." Hachi insisted.

"But-"

Suddenly, there was a huge ball of flame and the old bearded man stood in front of Aizen.

"Head Captain Yamamoto's got it. He can help Ichigo while you're down here healing." Hachi reasoned.

Rumi looked back and forth between the flames and down where the injured lay.

"She has a lot of wounded ones..."

"It'll be fine, Minamoto-san. I didn't become Captain of Squad 4 for nothing." Unohana reassured.

Rumi looked at her, then to the wounded, then to Hachi and softly nodded.

"Patch me up."


	13. Juu San

3rd Person's POV

Rumi watched above as the fight began to intensify with the Head Captain's arrival.

She winced as her wound continued to bleed slowly. Her eyes were focused on the fight above, trying to not worry about the rest of the Visored or the fallen Captains or Ichigo. Her eyes followed the movements of both powerful men, but it was getting harder to, her vision becoming fuzzy on the edges.

Aizen had stabbed the Head Captain's side with his sword, earning a surprised eye widening from Rumi, who was watching. The Captain had grabbed Aizen's arm tightly. Was it truly Aizen's arm? Or was it someone else's? She didn't know. She couldn't see. If she tried to see, then she surely would die, considering her reiatsu level right now.

Suddenly, even more walls of flame came up, enveloping the area. It was getting hot. Way too hot. Ichigo was still standing there like an idiot, even though the old man had told him to go.

"Idiot Ichigo... Why aren't you moving?" Rumi muttered, her voice faint, blood dribbling from the corner of her mouth onto her white shihakusho. Suddenly, an Arrancar appeared behind the Old Man and he tried to attack him, but got flown back to the ground, his white haori blown off. Then Rumi recognized the familiar face. It was that idiot Arrancar!

... Wonderweiss. That was his name. Wonderweiss. Wonderweiss Margera.

Then the flames began to disappear and it died off. As Aizen explained Wonderweiss's role to being a seal to the Old Man's zanpakuto, Rumi's head began to throb. Everything had been taken away from him. Everything. And all for just one little power to seal away his zanpakuto. So much to pay for a little thing.

Why?

Was Aizen this truly evil?

He certainly didn't seem like it years ago, when she'd first met him. He was charming, charismatic, handsome, smart, devious... But now. Now, he had turned into a demon. A demon whose sole goal is to gain power and destroy the world. Rumi's eyes widened as a huge wave of pain enveloped her head. Rumi's hands clamped on her head, her fingers clawing at her hair and scalp.

"Rumi-chan, what's wrong?" Hachi asked worriedly, as he sat down beside me.

Rumi managed to open an eye, and gave him a small grin.

"My head just hurts... That's all. Just heal the rest of the group; I'll be fine. I need to watch the battle." She lied easily. Her head felt like it was being cut by the sharpest sword in existence.

Flashes of images and murmurs of sounds began to cloud her eyes and ears. She didn't know where it was coming from.

What was this?

Who were these people?

Unable to handle it, Rumi hunched over and vomited a fountain of blood, and other liquid-like things. She groaned, feeling grossed out, but still in pain. She looked up at the fight, but only saw a white blur. They were moving too fast. Then, there was an intense spike in reiatsu that made her tremble and unable to breathe well. She sputtered and coughed, choking on her own blood. Unohana laid her down, beginning to work on her and others at the same time. Kyoraku-Taicho had stabbed her deeply... Well, it wasn't his fault.

Her wounds were very deep. One collapsed lung, her stomach and her liver had been stabbed as well as her intestines. She had lost a lot of blood and her once-white shihakusho was almost drenched with her and others' blood. And she was still conscious.

Who was this girl? How is she still alive and breathing and awake?

Unohana pushed those thoughts aside and began to concentrate on healing her wounds. Afterwards, she would restore the girl's reiatsu.

* * *

Suddenly, the ground began to rumble, and there were flames everywhere, burning everything. But as soon as it appeared, it was gone, shrunk down and disappeared.

Then Ichigo began attacking, mask on and using Getsuga. From then on, Rumi couldn't really see anything as it became harder to see. Her vision was weakening, blurry and fuzzy. Maybe it was the loss of blood. Maybe she really was going blind.

She raised a hand to rub her eyes to get rid of the blurriness, but it wouldn't go away. She placed her hand in front of her face.

"So... Blurry... Hachi... Shinji... Hiyori... Lisa... Rose... Love... Kensei... Mashi... Ichigo... Am I dying? Will I die like this? Will I die...? Not knowing answers..." Rumi whispered, trying to see in front of her. "Oh well... At least I tried..."

* * *

A hand suddenly shot out at Hachi's lingering hand, and threw him to the side easily. Then, the object flew out from the injured and towards where Aizen was, floating in the air, surrounded by a sea of white energy.

Then the light faded and Aizen came down to the three Shinigami below, consisting of Ichigo, Ichigo's father, and Kisuke Urahara.

"Monster. You're the monster." Came a small, weak voice. The four men turned, facing a little girl with red hair and green eyes.

"Rumi...?" Ichigo asked.

Urahara's eyes also widened. It was the same girl he'd seen several times... Except she was smaller. Smaller than Rukia or even Ichigo's youngest sister.

Her eyes were clouded with fear, anxiety, pain and surprise. The emotions that little girls weren't supposed to have.

"Ah... Rumi. My dear Rumi..." Aizen had her throat in an instant, surprising the other male Shinigami and Rumi.

"You've gotten tinier... Maybe it's because you're dying. Foolish. Very foolish of you to be up while Unohana was treating you." He grinned, clutching harder.

Rumi's tiny hands came to Aizen's large hand, trying to stop the bigger man from choking her.

"This is a very familiar scene... Ah, yes. Our first encounter. You were bloodied up like this, and arm-less, may I add... And you had dozens of piles of dead Arrancars and Hollows beside you. And you didn't even have a sword. Do you remember that?" He asked.

Rumi couldn't answer. The throat passage was being blocked, and she was unable to breathe. Her vision began having black spots.

"Then you attacked me. Like the mindless beast you are. But you had talent. Power. And you were already part of my experiment with that wretched man of yours you called father... Oh, what was his name? Oh yes... Len. Len Minamoto." He then paused. "I'm sorry, he's not your father... That's right. You didn't even have a family when I met you. You had killed them off. But you were a good test subject and I trained you well. But all my work has been for nothing. You are nothing but a useless piece of trash and a monster." He growled, and he tossed her towards a building.

She went through them, multiple ones, until a flaming orange blur caught her, saving her from any more injuries than she had already sustained.

He was about to take her back to Unohana, when she bit his arm. He let her go in surprise and in pain.

She went back to where Aizen was, having shunpoed there. She was huffing and puffing, her small chest heaving up and down with great force.

"Aizen... Tell me this." She panted.

"Hmm? You're still alive? How stubborn you are." He said, clearly amused with the sadistic game he was playing.

"Wh- what is my name?" She asked.

Aizen began to laugh. He laughed for some time, but stopped, his expression becoming serious. "Is that what you really want to know?" He asked. "Not your family, not your birthday, not every single memory you've failed to remember, not the reason why I've treated you like a monster, not the reason why I've experimented on you for the past hundreds of years, but solely your name?"

Rumi nodded her eyes serious and intense. She did want to know all those things, but her name was most important. Her name was her identity. Her being. And she didn't even know that.

She didn't know who she was.

She knew Rumi Minamoto was an alias. A fake name, given to her by Len Minamoto, the man she used to call "father".

"That's a small price to pay for the damage I've caused... Very well." He was beside her in an instant, pulling her up by her neck, his lips near her ear.

"Your name...-" Before she could hear it, she was whisked away and was immediately put into a barrier so she couldn't move.

Her eyes widened in anger, disbelief and surprise.

"Why? Who took me from there?! I'll kill you!" Rumi yelled, her reiatsu flaring uncontrollably, cracking part of the barrier.

"It was me, Rumi-chan." Came a gentle voice. Rumi turned around, and she saw Hachi, one arm out, supporting the barrier.

Immediately, her reiatsu level returned to normal, leaving Hachi more relaxed. Rumi's reiatsu level was not normal; it was even harder to put a barrier around her when she was angry.

"Please calm down and have Unohana-san look at your injuries. You've overextended yourself too much today." Hachi warned.

"I can't, Hachi. I need to know." She said, putting up a weak argument.

"Then I'm sorry..." He said. He murmured a spell, and Rumi's eyes widened, then she slumped over, but Unohana caught her and laid her beside Shinji and began healing her once more.


	14. Juu Yon

3rd Person's POV

Shinji had left the room after the girl had fallen asleep once more. He had informed Unohana about her condition and her only for now. He walked swiftly towards the Third Squad's barracks towards Rose's room. His thumping was loud and it wasn't a surprise to see Rose already up and about at this hour.

"Shinji, what's going on?" He asked as he pulled on his Captain's haori.

"I'll tell you later. We need to get Kensei. Hurry up and follow me." Shinji said seriousness in his voice.

Rose followed Shinji towards the Ninth Division's squad barracks towards Kensei's room.

Kensei, too, had heard Shinji's stomping and was putting on his clothes when he came in.

"Rose, Shinji, what's going on?" He asked.

"We're moving to a safer place. Follow me." Shinji answered. Kensei looked confused, but followed the man anyways.

They arrived at the streets of Rukongai, more specifically, inside a cave of a forest of Rukongai.

They had come here only once, as the three of them many years before they met Rumi, and even before their Hollowfication.

They sat down near the end of the cave and Shinji placed a barrier around it so it would alert them if anyone was nearby.

"What is it, Shinji? Is it that important to have us awake in the middle of the night to come to this cave to talk about it?" Kensei asked, slightly annoyed. They had all settled down, and Shinji licked his dry lips before speaking.

"It's about Rumi." He said. Now that shut up Kensei's retorts to anything else he would've said.

"What about Rumi? Is she awake?" Rose asked.

"Then what are we doing here? We need to go see her!" Kensei said, getting up.

Shinji's hand grabbed Kensei's wrist, forcing him back down to his seat.

Rose and Kensei looked appalled at Shinji's actions.

"Yes, she's awake." Shinji replied, his hand still wrapped around Kensei's wrist.

"What's wrong?" Rose asked his face serious.

"She... She can't remember anything. It's happened again." Shinji replied.

Kensei and Rose's eyes widened as Shinji broke the news to them. Shinji's hand retreated as none of them spoke, the other two trying to absorb that little fact of overwhelming information.

"She doesn't remember my name or her name. I told her mine, hers and yours. But she doesn't remember anything of the battle, or Aizen or any of the people she met. She doesn't even know why she's in Squad Four's Intensive Care barracks. Her memory's been wiped clean." Shinji said, sadness overwhelming his voice.

"This is the second time her memories have been wiped clean like that. And we needed to keep repeating things to her about what she's told us about her past. Now..." Rose stopped.

"We can't be mooching around here. Let's go to Rumi." Kensei suggested.

"Alright. Let's go quietly and quickly." Shinji nodded.

The three Captains made their way to Rumi's room. Kensei and Rose held in their breaths as they saw the little girl asleep.

Shinji closed the door behind them. "She's sleeping. And she hasn't grown back to her original form."

Kensei and Rose approached the bed, scared that she might wake up anytime soon. Kensei's fingers brushed against her cheeks softly as Rose clutched her small hand.

"She hasn't changed except she's gotten smaller..." Rose softly commented.

Moments passed before anyone spoke. Kensei broke the silence, his fingers resting on her still cheek.

"What do we do?" He asked.

"Only we three and Unohana know of this. Let's keep it a secret for now from the others." Shinji suggested. "And tell Mashiro tomorrow. But don't let her come with us, since I haven't told Rumi about her yet."

"Okay. She couldn't come anyways, since they have so much work to do..." Kensei said.

"Then what do we do during the meantime? The Head Captain and the others will find out eventually." Rose asked.

Shinji approached the bed, standing next to Rose. He looked at the sweet, sleeping girl and let out a sigh.

"We'll just have to keep her by our sides until we bring her up to speed on the things she's forgotten. It won't be easy..."

"We can handle it." Kensei said. Rose nodded, agreeing.

"After the Head Captain and the others find out, should we keep her here, or should we let the Visored take care of her?" Rose asked.

"We'll take care of her. This was her home, after all. Being in a gigai is very uncomfortable, and I'm sure she wouldn't want to be in one ever again." Shinji answered.

"Let's take her out to eat tomorrow. I'm clearing out my schedule all day tomorrow." Kensei said.

"While doing that, let's have her get used to us. Then we'll feed her the information she's forgotten." Rose said.

"That's the plan. Now wake up early tomorrow so we can have an awesome play day with Rumi." Shinji smiled softly. Kensei and Rose kissed her forehead and squeezed Shinji's shoulder before disappearing to their barracks.

Shinji did the same, except he remained in her room for a little while as he began to sort out his other thoughts.

Soon, it was morning, and the three Captains were up earlier than usual, surprising each of their divisions.

They all walked to Squad Four's barracks and to her room. Captain Unohana was there along with her lieutenant, Isane.

"Captain Hirako! Captain Otoribashi! Captain Mugurama!" Isane said, surprised by the three Captain's arrival.

"Isane, you are free to go." Unohana said.

"Hai!" The lieutenant left the room, leaving the four Captains with the little girl.

"I suppose you want to spend more time with the girl, right?" She asked.

"Can she move? We were going to take her out for a play day." Shinji asked.

"She can't quite walk for long distances, but I will assume that you three will take turns carrying her." Unohana said.

"Yes." Rose answered.

"Where is she?" Kensei asked.

"She's changing in the other room. She'll be out soon. Afterwards, you can take her. Bring her back before it gets dark. I still have to do a few more checkups." Unohana replied.

"Thank you." All three Captains said.

She smiled softly at the three men and left the room.

Soon after, Rumi came out, dressed in a shihakusho that was much too big for her frame. The sleeves hung off of her hands and there were clumps of the cloth on the floor, covering her entire feet.

The three Captains chuckled at the little girl, who was trying to tie her obi knot.

Rose kneeled down in front of her and tied the knot for her. He rolled up the sleeves and ripped off the excess material on her feet.

"There. Better?" He asked.

"Yeah. You're Rose, right? Shinji told me." She said, grinning at him.

"Hai. I'm Rose." He answered. "And he's Kensei." He said, pointing at the tall, silver haired man.

"Whoa. Kensei's so tall!" She squealed, and she hugged his leg, wrapping her arms and legs around his.

"Oi! What the-" Kensei asked, startled by her fast movement.

"Hehe! Let's play! This room is so boring!" She yelled.

"That's what we're going to do right now. Did you eat?" Shinji asked, prying her off of his leg and piggybacking her.

"Yeah! That lady with black hair gave me food! Let's go!" She yelled, pulling on his hair.

"Itai! That hurts!" Shinji yelled, leaving Rumi's room. The other two Captains followed closely, flanking Shinji on either side.

So he wasn't kidding. She really lost all of her memories. She only knows what Shinji told her. Kensei thought.

Rose looked toward Kensei, then at Rumi's back. The shihakusho she always wore before was probably too torn up for repair... This way, she'll blend in better.

"Say, where do you want to go?" Shinji asked.

"Let's go to a place with a lot of trees!" Rumi suggested.

"A place with trees... Maybe 13th's Garden?" Kensei asked.

"But we have to ask Jūshiro." Shinji pouted, annoyed. "We're supposed to do this professionally. No asking other Captains."

"Hm. Then let's go to the outskirts of Rukongai. There are a lot of trees there." Kensei said.

"No. Rukongai's not a place for her." Rose said.

"Anyways, let's go to a fellow kid in Seireitei." Shinji suggested.

"Who?" Rose asked.

"Little Tōshirō-kun, of course." Shinji grinned.


	15. Juu Go

3rd Person's POV

The three Captains, including Rumi, made it to Squad 10's barracks. As they approached Captain Hitsugaya's door, a female voice attacked the three Captains and Rumi by surprise.

"So cute!" She yelled, pinching Rumi's cheeks and lifting them up and down.

"Ouch! Ouch, old lady!" Rumi yelled, smacking the lieutenant's hands away.

"Old lady...? Lady is one thing, but old...?!" She growled, her temper and reiatsu rising.

Rose snuck up between them, placing his hands in front of himself.

"Ne, Matsumoto-san, let it go this time?" Rose asked nicely.

"Let it go?! How can I-" Kensei grabbed the woman's collar and dragged her away a few feet.

"Oi, let it go. She's a kid. She doesn't know any better." Kensei said, fingers still firm on her collar.

Matsumoto tried to wiggle out of his grip, but failed.

"Why're you guys here anyways? Do you have something for me or my Captain?" She asked.

"We just have something to ask him." Shinji replied.

"Taichooooo!" Matsumoto sang as she entered his room.

"What is it, Matsumoto?!" The boy replied, obviously irritated.

"You have visitors~" She sang, before sitting down.

The three Captains entered and so did Rumi, who was rubbing her cheeks.

"You're..." Hitsugaya was about to say something when Shinji butted in.

"Oi! Little Tōshirō-kun! Wanna help us?" Shinji asked with a wave.

"It's Hitsugaya Taicho... And with what?" He asked.

"You see, she's new to Seireitei, and I wanted to show her around. Where's a place with a lot of trees?" Shinji asked.

"A place with trees...? Thirteen's training grounds have a lot of trees." He answered. Kensei pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance.

"Why don't you just go to Yachiru? You want someone to play with her, right?" Matsumoto suggested.

"Oh. Why didn't I think of that?" Rose asked himself.

"Thanks! Well, have a nice day!" Shinji grinned and the three Captains shunpoed their way out of Squad 10's barracks.

* * *

They arrived to Squad 11's and the first person they saw was the person they needed.

"Yachiru-chan!" Shinji yelled.

"Hira-chan!" She yelled, using the ridiculous nickname she gave him using his last name.

" 'Hira-chan'? That's your nickname?" Kensei asked.

"Yours is even more ridiculous, Kensei." Rose answered.

"Says you, Roju-chan." Kensei snorted.

"I mean, what is Mugu-Mugu? I like my nickname." Rose and Shinji said.

"Hira-chan! Why're you here?" She asked.

"I brought a friend. I thought you two would want to play with each other." Shinji said.

"Who?" She asked, excited.

He peeled off Rumi from his back and set her down in front of Yachiru.

"Rumi, this is Yachiru-chan. Yachiru-chan, this is Rumi-chan. She's new here." Shinji introduced.

"Nice to meet you, Mimi-chan!" Yachiru smiled, making a nickname for her instantly.

"Mimi-chan? My name is Rumi." Rumi said, confused.

"That's your nickname, silly! Now, let's go play!" Yachiru said.

"Okay... Chiru-chan!" Rumi grinned. Then, they disappeared into the deeper parts of Squad 11's barracks for their adventure.

"Well, that certainly went well than expected." Rose remarked.

"Let's pick her up during lunchtime and eat. Then we'll bring her back to Yachiru. They seem to be getting along from the start." Kensei said.

"Yeah..." Suddenly, three Hell butterflies flew in, surprising the Captains.

They both listened to the message, and then they looked at each other.

"Let's go. I'll tell them." Shinji said. The other two Captains nodded as they followed the golden haired man to the Captains' meeting.

* * *

With the three Captains' arrival, everyone was there, including the lieutenants of every division minus Yachiru.

"As you have heard, there was a little girl that was a big part of the Winter War against Aizen. That little girl is a powerful one and we cannot let her powers go unnoticed, seeing that if she turns against us, she poses a great threat."

"The reason you Captains are here is to persuade her to stay here and become part of the Gotei 13, for if she does decide to join, she would either be a Captain level or lieutenant level." Yamamoto said.

"She's that strong?" Kira muttered to himself.

"Why do we all have to be here? Just let her be another lieutenant of a division." Zaraki said, annoyed.

"Silence! Now, she will be brought here soon enough by 9th Division's lieutenant. We will wait until she appears." Yamamoto declared.

Minutes turned into thirty minutes. Thirty minutes turned into an hour. Two hours, three hours.

The Captains were getting restless and very annoyed as the fourth hour began to pass.

"Where is she?" Zaraki asked, very irritated.

Suddenly, the doors bust open, revealing Shuhei Hisagi, and there were two girls perched on his shoulders, held securely by his hand.

"9th Division Lieutenant Shuhei Hisagi, reporting back with Lieutenant Kusajishi and the girl you ordered for me to find." He reported.

"Oi, Hisagi... You took quite a while." Shinji said, clearly annoyed.

"Hmm? Yachiru, so you were with her? I was wondering where you were." Zaraki said, grabbing the girl from Hisagi.

"What took you so long?" Yamamoto demanded.

"Well, the thing is... Lieutenant Kusajishi and she were playing around and it took me a while to catch both of them. And the girl refused to go with me when I asked her, saying that I was a stranger..."

"Let go of me!" Came a voice. Her hair was covering her face, and she was facing Hisagi's armpit and chest, her legs swinging off of Hisagi's shoulder and her arms limp in front of her.

Suddenly, her feet connected with Hisagi's face, flinging him back a couple meters, bashing through the walls and the door.

Rumi landed on her feet, and brushed up the dirt and dust on her too big shihakusho, clearly annoyed with the situation.

"Whoa. Where am I?" She looked around, and saw Shinji. "Shinjiiii! Today was so much fun!" She giggled, her annoyance disappearing as she hopped on his back.

"Oi, Rumi... You're in Squad 1's barracks... And the other captains are here. Be a bit more respectful. " Shinji warned.

"Hmm? Oh, Kensei and Rose are here too! And so is the old lady and Whitey!" She said, pointing as she said their nicknames out loud.

"Old lady...?! So it is you..." Matsumoto growled, raising her sleeves.

"Whitey...?" Hitsugaya said, appalled by the nickname.

"Silence!" Came Yamamoto's bark.

Rumi's attention turned to the old man in front. She turned her head to the side a little.

"Rumi Minamoto. Stand in front." He said. She hesitated, but obeyed the old man, hopping off of Shinji's back and in front of the Head Captain, her long sleeves flopping in front of her.

"What, old man?" She asked, sitting down. She didn't like being told what to do, but she saw that this man was not to be messed with.

"We wish to recruit you as a member of the Gotei 13." He started.

"What is that?"

"The Gotei 13 is an orginization of professionally trained Soul Reapers that fight to protect Seireitei and the Human World." Shinji summarized.

"Professional my butt." Rumi muttered, looking at her oversized sleeves.

"Did you say something?" The Head Captain asked.

"Nothing!" Rumi said grinning up at him.

Then her eyes turned to his cane, which was his sword. Then she turned, and looked at all the Captains' waists and saw that they all have swords.

She turned and looked at the cane again.

Then her eyes widened as she began to see the sword's spirit.

"Amazing... So bright..." She said. Everyone looked appalled at what she was saying. The Head Captain raised his cane and her eyes followed. He slammed it down and Rumi shook her head and rubbed her eyes.

"That's a cool sword you got there. So bright too. My eyes hurt." Rumi said, flinging her fully sleeved arm towards Ryūjin Jakka.

"What? You can see?... I see. Hirako Shinji, take her back to Squad 4's barracks. I will decide which Squad she will be assigned to and to which tutor she will learn from. Dismissed!"

Rumi was now slightly dozing off, kneeled in front of the Head Captain. Shinji scooped her up and set her head gently on his shoulder, supporting her legs and her back with his hands.

"Shinji..." She mumbled.

"Yeah?"

"I want to go home... This place is weird... There's a bunch of old people with swords..." She drifted off to sleep.

"I know, kiddo. I sometimes wish I could go home too." Shinji answered, leaving the hall, passing by other Captains and lieutenants.

"Captain Hirako?" Hinamori asked as they arrived at Squad 5's barracks after they dropped off Rumi.

"Hmm?" He replied.

"Is she special to you?" She asked.

"Very. She's like my little sister. Gotta watch over her and protect her. We were all like family until we split up." Shinji answered, taking off his Captain's haori.

"Oh. Goodnight, Captain."

"You too, Hinamori." Shinji replied. The younger lieutenant left, leaving Shinji alone in his room. He plopped down on the bed and sighed, waiting for tomorrow's results.

* * *

The night passed by like a breeze and soon it was morning.

Rumi was sound asleep even when it was ten o' clock, and was barely awake when Mashiro and Shinji came to visit.

"Rumi-chan... You okay?" Mashiro asked.

"I'm tired. That old man's gonna get it for making me stay up late." She mumbled, tired.

Mashiro giggled and helped her off of the high bed. "Let's get you cleaned up and ready for the meeting, Rumi-chan!" She said, excited.

The girls rushed themselves to a different room, out of Shinji's view. Kensei and Rose had to finish up the things they missed yesterday.

They came out in fifteen minutes, dressed similarly to yesterday. Her always too-long black shihakusho hung on the edges of her hands.

"Do we have to go?" Rumi asked.

"Sadly, yes. Now, let's go." Shinji grabbed one of her hands and they began walking to the 1st Division's Captain meeting room.

Mashiro left before them, seeing that she had to be there promptly with Kensei and Hisagi.

Shinji and Rumi arrived, holding hands. He let go though, lining up in order with the other Captains.

Rumi advanced forward, her arms flopping in front of her as she moved.

"Rumi Minamoto. Welcome back." Yamamoto greeted.

"Yo. Thanks for waking me up so early." Rumi shot back.

Yamamoto squeezed his cane harder in irritation. He coughed before continuing.

"You will be assigned to Squad Eight, serving under Captain Shunsui Kyoraku and Lieutenant Nanao Ise." Yamamoto said.

"Huh? Who's that?" Rumi asked, looking around.

"That's me!" Came an enthusiastic male voice. She turned and saw a large man wearing pink and a petite woman with glasses.

Rumi's face fell in disappointment as she turned around to face the old man.

"Why am I stuck with the old man that wears pink and his stuck up looking lieutenant?" Rumi asked, pointing behind her. "Are you punishing me for being rude?"

"I just think that you'll get along with them just fine." Yamamoto said, amusement in his voice.

"Don't you dare think this is funny, old man. Why can't I be in Shinji's group? Or at least Kensei's... Even though he can be a grouch..."

"Hey! I am not a grouch!" Kensei protested.

Rumi turned around and made a face, using her fingers to pull down her bottom eyelids and sticking out her tongue. "Kensei's a grouch! Kensei's no fun!" Rumi taunted.

Kensei tried to get her, but Shinji and Rose stopped him.

"Silence! My decision is final! We will test your skills after this meeting. For that, you will need your zanpakuto." Yamamoto said. Rumi let go of her eyelids and slipped her tongue back in. Her face looked genuinely confused.

"A zan-wh-"

Shinji interrupted, not letting the Head Captain hear what she said.

"Her zanpakuto is in Squad Five's barracks. I've been keeping it safe for her." Shinji said.

The Head Captain looked at him warily.

"The test will take place at 13's Training Grounds. Captain Kyoraku and Lieutenant Ise are required to come. Others are optional to watch. That is all." Yamamoto said.

Rumi began walking towards the door as the other Captains and Lieutenants followed.

"Wait. The Captains and Lieutenants remain where they are. Rumi Minamoto can go." Yamamoto said, looking at Shinji's expression.

Rumi turned towards Kensei and blew raspberries. "Haha, Kensei! You're in trouble by that old guy!" Rumi teased as she left.

* * *

"Now, what was it that you wanted to tell us?" Yamamoto asked. Shinji stepped forward, breaking the line of Captains and Lieutenants.

"She... She played a big role in the Winter War." Shinji started.

"Go on." Yamamoto said, intrigued at what he would say.

"She doesn't remember any of it. Nothing of it is in her head." Shinji said, earning every single shock from each Captain and Lieutenant including the Head Captain and Lieutenant Sasakibe.

"But how does she know your names?" Soi Fon asked.

"When she awoke two days ago, I was there. She didn't recognize me. She didn't even know her own name until I told her. She only knows the names of Kensei, Mashiro, Matsumoto, Hitsugaya, Rose, myself and you, Head Captain." Shinji explained.

"Has this happened before while she was with you?" Yamamoto asked.

"Once. It was exactly the same. My hypothesis is, now watching it happen a second time, is that whenever something dramatic and traumatic happens, or when she's close to dying is that something triggers itself in her brain, making everything forget. So she doesn't even know what a zanpakuto is and that is why she looked confused." Shinji said.

"That doesn't mean her skills are affected, right?" Kyoraku asked.

"No, not at all. Her attacks are like reflexes. If you come at her suddenly, then she will attack you back, no matter who you are, using any kind of methods and powers she has." Shinji answered.

"Hmm... So she needs to re-learn everything she has forgotten." Yamamoto thought.

"Interesting... Interesting. Kyoraku, would you mind lending her a bit so I can run some tests on her?" Kurotsuchi asked.

"Yare, yare, Captain Kurotsuchi, I can't do that. She just joined my division." Kyoraku objected, tilting his sakkat backward, revealing more of his face and his gray eyes.

"Heh. Shame." Kurotsuchi clicked his tongue and waved his hands in a disappointed manner.

"Is that all?" Yamamoto asked.

"Yes. And please don't tell Rumi that she's forgotten her memories; she'll be even more confused and shaken and might disappear." Shinji warned.

"All Captains and Lieutenants understood?" Yamamoto asked.

Everyone nodded, including the four that knew from the start.

"Good. Do not speak of this to Rumi Minamoto until she regains her memories. Dismissed!" Yamamoto declared. He turned towards Captains Kyoraku, Hitsugaya and Lieutenants Matsumoto and Ise.

"I expect you four to be there during the battle. I will be there also." Yamamoto said. The four nodded and left.

Soon, it was time for the battle. A lot of people were there, including Shinji, Hinamori, Ise, Kyoraku, Ukitake, Hitsugaya, Matsumoto, Kensei, Rose, Mashiro, Yachiru, Ikkaku and Ayasegawa, and members of different squads.

* * *

Rumi did not look happy. She was arguing with Shinji about how she didn't want to do this and how she was hungry.

"I'm hungry, Shinji! And I don't want to do this! Tell that old man that I don't want to do this!" Rumi whined, now on Shinji's shoulder, pulling his hair.

Suddenly, a man caught her eye and she jumped off of multiple shoulders and landed on the man's shoulder.

"Whoa! You're bald!" Rumi giggled, touching his head.

"Oi! Kid! Get off of me! And I'm not bald!" Ikkaku yelled, pulling the kid off of him.

"Whee! Airplane ride!" Rumi giggled, flailing her sleeves in his face.

"What is this kid? Yumichika! Here!" He thrust her to a guy with orange things on his face.

"Whee!" She giggled. She looked at his face and touched one of the orange things on his eyebrow.

"Don't touch that!" He yelled, pulling her away from his face. Her fingers ripped the thing, making Yumichika scream and throw the girl.

She tumbled in the air, but focused her reiatsu so that she can still stand in the air.

She was sitting down, playing with the thing that was once on Yumichika's face.

The Head Captain arrived moments later, and banged down his cane onto the ground, turning the attention to him.

"Silence! The match will start." He said.

"Do I really have to do this? I'm hungry and I want to play with Yachiru." Rumi whined.

"Silence! You will be facing Captain Hitsugaya today. One of you will be the victor and one of you will be the loser. You are fighting this battle to win." The Head Captain said.

Rumi's expression changed as something flashed through her eyes.

"Do we fight to kill or fight for just it being the purpose of a match?" Rumi asked, her tone changing.

"For the purpose of a match. We are only analyzing your skills here." He said.

Captain Hitsugaya came up to her level, and put his hand on the handle of his sword.

Rumi just stood there, waiting for the Head Captain to say start.

"Start!"


	16. Juu Roku

3rd Person's POV

Hitsugaya drew his sword, facing the tip at Rumi. Rumi just stood there, looking at him. Her hair blew gently in the gentle wind as they both waited for one of them to initiate.

"Do you want to go first, or shall I?" Rumi asked.

"Ladies first." Hitsugaya answered.

She raised her sleeve to her mouth and then she was gone. She then appeared in front of him, her fingers touching his forehead. Her other hand was touching his sword, moving it out of her way.

He then flew back a few meters with a loud zap, and Rumi vanished once more. She appeared behind the white haired boy, and kicked him downward towards the ground. As he flew down, she flew down with him, and kicked him upward.

She was playing with him. All she was doing was kicking him around, not giving him a chance to use his sword. She stepped back, landing a few feet in front of him, allowing Hitsugaya to get up.

When he did so, he leaped into the air, and swished his sword towards her.

"Sit Upon the Frozen Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" He yelled. A large, ice dragon came rushing towards her.

She simply put her hand out and eyed the dragon's eyes.

"Hajikidasu." She said. The dragon's head lurched backward, going for Hitsugaya. He immediately moved out of the way, letting the large ice dragon fall elsewhere.

In that time, Rumi tackled Hitsugaya to the floor, one hand on his shoulder, pushing him down, and in her other hand, and there was a lightning bolt, shaped like a sword, its side blade pointed at Hitsugaya's neck.

They slammed to the ground with much impact, causing a gigantic crater. Her body was on top of Hitsugaya's chest, her hand firmly placed onto his shoulder and the lightning bolt still in her hand.

Her hand crackled and zapped, due to the electric current within it. She climbed off of Hitsugaya, who was not unconscious because of the speed of how they fell and her electric current zapping his nervous systems so he wouldn't feel any pain when they hit.

She climbed out of the crater, her lightning bolt katana out of her hand. Her hair was a bit messy and her hand was still crackling.

Shinji hopped over the wooden fence to advance towards her, but Rumi stopped him with her hand.

"Don't come near me yet. There's still a current flowing within my body. If you get anywhere near me, I can kill you. If I fall asleep, just leave me here. The current will go away soon." Rumi warned, looking at her audience. She distanced herself from them, and sat down on the ground. She lay on the ground, curled up into a ball.

Not too long later, she fell asleep on the training grounds. Kensei and Shinji looked towards her in disbelief.

"I didn't know she would actually fall asleep..." Kensei sweatdropped.

"All Captains that are present now, follow me. And send hell butterflies to the other Captains that weren't present." The Head Captain said. "Lieutenant Matsumoto, take your Captain to Squad Four's barracks."

Matsumoto obeyed for once, and took her unconscious Captain to Squad Four.

"Lieutenants Hinamori and Ise will place a barrier around Rumi Minamoto so no one will be affected by her current. Afterwards, you two are free to go." Head Captain commanded.

So each individual followed their orders, and Hinamori and Ise placed a barrier around her and left as soon as they did so.

* * *

The Captains were all lined up in order.

"As you've seen, Rumi Minamoto clearly has potential to be a Captain. But seeing that all of our Captain spots are filled, she will be assigned to a lieutenant position. She will become a co-Lieutenant of Divison Eight, alongside Lieutenant Ise and under Captain Kyoraku. Any objections?" Head Captain asked.

"Why not let her be a part of the Stealth Force? Judging by what I saw, she is very stealthy, nimble and fast." Came Ukitake's voice.

"Yare, yare... Do you not want her to be my lieutenant, Ukitake?" Kyoraku teased.

"No, it's not that, Kyoraku. I was just pointing out something." Ukitake defended himself.

"What do you think, Captain Soi Fon?" Head Captain asked.

"She may have potential, but she isn't Stealth Force material. I think she may be best at being a lieutenant under Captain Kyoraku." She said bluntly.

"Hm. Indeed. So it has been decided. Rumi Minamoto will be a co-Lieutenant beside Lieutenant Ise and under Captain Kyoraku of Eighth Division. Someone will inform Minamoto of her promotion after she awakes. Captain Kyoraku, you will give her a tour of Seireitei and Eighth's barracks." Head Captain said.

"Yare, yare... Alright." Captain Kyoraku said. The Captains disappeared, and Captain Kyoraku walked to 13th's training grounds and found her surrounded by an orange barrier, asleep.

He knelt down and broke the barrier, and studied the little girl.

Should he wake her?

No.

Should he carry her?

How? He's never carried anyone before except other women not her size.

He fidgeted around until a hand stopped him. He looked up and saw his white-haired friend.

"What're you still doing here, Kyoraku?" Ukitake asked.

"I was figuring out how to carry her back to her room." Kyoraku sighed.

Ukitake chuckled as he kneeled down next to his best friend.

"You're new at this... Well, I understand. Okay, you have to help me." Ukitake said.

"How?"

"Lift her up and place her on my back. We'll have to piggyback her." Ukitake said, turning around.

"I'll piggyback her." Kyoraku offered.

"And break her nose? No way. Just help me."

"Fine." Kyoraku gently lifted her up easily and placed her onto Ukitake's back. He slung her limp arms around Ukitake's neck. His friend's pale hands supported Rumi's legs and he got up.

Kyoraku and Ukitake began walking towards Eighth's barracks.

"How do you know how to carry girls like her?" Kyoraku asked.

"I do have seven siblings that are all younger than me, Kyoraku." Ukitake pointed out.

"Right." Kyoraku chuckled. They arrived at her room, the one that had been created instantly as soon as the battle ended. Shinji had decorated it for her, knowing what she liked.

Ukitake set her down on the bed, and Kyoraku pulled the covers over her small frame. They left her room, sliding the door shut.

"Tomorrow's going to be a hectic day, isn't it?" Kyoraku asked his best friend.

"Sure bet."

* * *

Rumi had woken up to multiple pinches to her cheeks. She had gotten pissed off at Kyoraku and had smacked him to the other side of her room.

Now, she was grumpy as hell, and was walking behind the large, pink man, and his stuck up looking lieutenant.

Her co-Lieutenant.

She had only found out an hour ago, and she really didn't want the job, but Kyoraku insisted that she couldn't quit after she had just gotten the job.

Now, they were on a ridiculous tour of the Eighth and Seireitei.

"barracks... Ne, Rumi-chan? You paying attention?" Came Kyoraku's voice.

He flicked her forehead, and that snapped her out of her daydream. She placed her sleeved hand over the throbbing place and flung her hand at him, in attempt to smack him.

"Itai! That hurt!" She whined.

"You need to know this stuff, Rumi-chan. I know it's boring and all, but Yama-jii's going to get mad at me if I don't teach you." Kyoraku said, kneeling down to her level.

She looked away, looking at the drifting clouds.

"This is boring. Let's do something fun, Kyoraku- ojichan." Rumi said, placing her arms behind her head, looking at the sky.

" 'Ojichan'? I'm not that old!" Kyoraku objected.

"You're older than me, so you're old."

"Rumi-chan... Come up with a better nickname!"

"Your name is too hard." Rumi retorted.

"Shunsui Kyoraku is not a hard name, is it, Nanao-chan?" He asked.

"Your name is none of my concern, sir. If we don't finish this soon, Head Captain will be angry with you." Nanao said.

"Yare, yare... Then just call me Shun." Kyoraku said.

"Lazy Shun-kun." Rumi giggled.

"Good enough. Now, let's go. We need to go around Seireitei now." Kyoraku said.

"I'm tired. We've been walking around the whole day. Can I climb onto your back, Lazy Shun-kun?" Rumi asked.

He looked down at the little girl and chuckled. "Sure. Hop on."

"Yay!" Her face brightened to a smile as she hopped onto her back and hung from his shoulder.

"Okay. Now let's go!" Kyoraku grabbed his hat and he and Nanao shunpoed around Seireitei, Kyoraku telling her little facts about each Division and the entire Seireitei.

"Ne, Seireitei's that big... You guys must have a lot of money." Rumi said, swinging her legs on the building.

They were on a roof of some building in Seireitei, watching the nice view. She was laying down, soaking up the sun, her legs swinging up and down in the air.

"Ne, Rumi-chan..." Kyoraku started.

"Hmm?" Rumi replied.

"What was it that you did to Yama-jii?" He asked.

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"He was going to ask you something when you were marveling at something." Kyoraku said.

Rumi thought hard, then snapped her fingers. "Oh, that? I just looked at his sword, that's all. Why?"

"Does it work for every sword?"

"I don't know. His was the first one I've ever seen up close like that. Others were from far away." Rumi said, placing a finger on her chin.

"Then try with mine." He offered, moving his haori aside, revealing two blades.

Her eyes widened, as she sat upright and walked towards him.

"You have two?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Cool! Okay, lemme try." She sat down in front of him, concentrating on the swords latched on his side.

"Kyoraku-Taicho, we need to get moving..." Nanao started.

"Shh. Wait. After this. Then we'll go." He said, looking at the little girl. Nanao sighed but said nothing more.

Rumi finally let out a gasp, then multiple claps. Then her eyes widened, and she grinned.

"Cool! You're so big! And you're so tiny! And-ouch!" Rumi grabbed her forehead in pain.

"That hurt! Not nice!" Rumi cried. Then, she patted her cheeks and swiped at the sword, but Kyoraku moved back.

Rumi turned her back towards him, crossing her arms over her tiny chest in a crossed manner.

"Well... how was it?" Kyoraku asked, tilting his hat.

"Your swords are mean. How do you fight with them? She pinched my cheeks really hand and smacked my forehead!" Rumi cried, turning around. There were tears in her eyes from the pain.

Kyoraku's gray eyes widened in shock and he looked back and forth between his swords and Rumi.

He really didn't know how to deal with kids, especially crying ones... He gently patted her head in a reassuring manner and tried to calm her down.

"It's okay, Rumi-chan. Katen Kyokotsu is a mean one." Kyoraku said. She began to stop crying, and she wiped her tears with her long sleeves. She pulled his haori over the blades, breaking the connection between them.

He patted her head softly as she calmed down. He looked towards his other lieutenant, who looked bored as hell.

"Nanao-chan, what's next on the list?" He asked.

"We have to report to the Head Captain on our progress. He'll tell us what to do when we get there." Nanao informed.

"Okay." He looked down at his smaller, more child-like lieutenant. "You ready, Rumi-chan?" He asked.

She nodded as she stepped back from him. The three of them shunpoed to First Squad's barracks, entering into Yama-jii's office.

Rumi was still rubbing her red nose, raw from rubbing it too much. Nanao was on one knee, a sign of respect. Rumi just stood there; kneeling wasn't an issue; with her current size, her kneeling would be like she was sitting down.

"Ah. You've arrived. So how was the tour?" The Head Captain asked.

"Boring. But I learned stuff." Rumi answered bluntly.

Kyoraku and Nanao sweatdropped at her answer, but made no movement to correct her.

"You look like you were crying. Did Kyoraku make you cry?" The old man asked, amusement in his voice.

"His swords did. They're meanie butts!" Rumi yelled, pointing at Kyoraku's waist.

Kyoraku stood there, defenseless, as Rumi began to badmouth and rat out his swords to Yama-jii. Yama-jii merely chuckled and calmed her down with simple, encouraging words.

"Hmf!" Rumi sat down, legs crossed, eyeing Kyoraku.

"Katen Kyokotsu's an old lady!" Rumi insulted, blowing raspberries.

"Anyways... Lieutenant Ise."

"Hai!" Her voice sounded surprised and shocked that he would actually call on her.

"Today, until dinner time, you will teach her the basics of Kido."

"Kido? What the heck is that? Is it some sword technique?" Rumi asked, jumping up.

"Kido is basically a technique which concentrates Spiritual energy to be used for healing, offense and defense." Kyoraku explained.

"Healing? You can heal with that?" Rumi asked, her eyes glinting with a new fact. Kyoraku nodded.

"Sweet! Let's go, Nana- chan!" Rumi barged out the door, leaving Kyoraku and Nanao sweatdropping.

* * *

The three arrived at the Eighth's training grounds, made especially for kido practicing.

"So... How do I do kido? Do I just shout out random words and a big ball of fire's gonna come out and blow at people?" Rumi asked, excited about this whole thing.

"That's not it at all. You have to concentrate and say the incantation in order to produce the spell." Nanao said.

"Ehh? That's so lame!" Rumi pouted, sitting down on the grass, looking away, pouting.

"Listen. There are two types of Kido. There is Hado for direct attacks and Bakudo for battle support. It's numbered from 1-99, based on its difficulty. But the spell is based on your power, since stronger Shinigami that uses a low level attack can have devastating effects." Nanao summarized.

"It sounded interesting, but now it sounds like a bunch of work. It's basically not that different from what my sword does." Rumi said, boredly.

"Come to think about it, where is your sword? You don't carry it around with you..." Kyoraku said.

"I don't have to carry it. It's inside of me." Rumi answered.

"Huh?" Kyoraku asked.

"Basically, a zanpakuto is a spirit manifested into a sword that can be used to fight. And the spirit is you, basically. So, if it's me, then why bother carrying it with me on my hip or wherever when it's heavy? My zanpakuto allows me to keep it inside of myself." Rumi explained.

"Show us." The burly man requested.

Rumi closed her eyes and extended out her left hand, her thumb pointing towards the ground.

"Ken jitai." She enchanted. Her reiatsu levels spiked rapidly, and a figure in the shape of a katana appeared in her hand.

Her reiatsu levels immediately declined and returned to normal as the katana dropped into her hand. She opened her eyes and pointed the long sword towards Kyoraku. She swung it once, then held it tightly in her small hand.

"There. Here's my sword. He's the nicer one." Rumi answered.

Kyoraku observed her sword. It was a decent size, and it took on the shape of a regular old katana.

The handle color was a deep jade color, like a forest-green and the guard was shaped like a diamond, the points of it very sharp.

"Hmm... Interesting sword you got there. Do you know how to get to Shikai?" Kyoraku asked.

"Shikai... Is that the one where you say its name and it changes its shape?" Rumi asked.

He nodded kindly, observing what the little girl was going to do next.

She turned her sword, which was facing down, 270 degrees counterclockwise, and placed her right hand on top of her left hand, the one that was holding the sword.

"Vanish into dust and claim all for oneself; Kanashimi no Senshi." She chanted. The sword glowed a bright yellowish green, and a new katana was placed into her hands.

Now this one, the sword turned into a pure silver-gray sword with a ridiculously long incantation scratched into it. The guard turned into a figure with wings on its sides instead of the diamond. The hilt color changed into a pure white color. And, at the pommel, there were two deep maroon colored ribbons. The sheath revealed itself in her right hand, and the color and design was a complete black one with red swirly designs.

"Hm. Now your scabbard appeared. It's a unique sword you got there, Rumi-chan." Kyoraku said, observing her sword.

"Ne, Ne, Shun-shun, why don't you show me your Shikai? I want to see how that old lady looks like." Rumi asked, running up to him.

He shook his head. "Maybe next time."

"Aww, but Kana-kun came all this way to show you who he is! He doesn't like being called on when you don't need him." Rumi pouted, waving her sword.

" 'Kana-kun'? Is that what you've nicknamed your sword? You nickname your sword?" He asked.

"Why not? Kana-kun likes it. So does Dai-chan." She answered.

"Who's Dai-chan? Is she a pretty lady?" He asked, grinning.

She bonked his head, smashing her little fist onto his sakkat covered head.

"She's not a lady, silly! She's my sword! And even if you want to see her, you can't!" Rumi answered.

"Why not?" He asked, wincing. His hand came up to the spot where she'd punched his head.

"She's like Kana-kun. She doesn't like being called on when she's not needed. Well, Kana-kun is more enthusiastic about helping me, but Dai-chan will only come out in a battle she wants to participate in. She'll come out by force if I force her out, but then I'll be tired and she'll just disappear again." Rumi explained.

"I see-"

"Show me your Shikai! Show me your Shikai! Show me your Shikai!" Rumi whined, running around him in a circle, blade out.

"That's dangerous! Put your sword back!" He yelled.

"But that's not fair! I want to see your Shikai! And Kana-kun says it's unfair too." She said, looking at her sword.

"Oh really?" He asked.

"Really. You can ask him." She said, holding up her sword, horizontally, towards Kyoraku.

He had a confused expression on his face. "What do you mean?" He asked.

"Put your hand on top of mine and you'll see him. I won't be there, but you'll see him." She grinned. He put his large hand on top of hers and he instantly found himself not standing on Eighth's training grounds, but on top of a large, destroyed pillar of a building.

"Where am I?" He asked, looking around.

"You're in a section of Rumi's inner world." Came a deep, male voice.

"Who's there?" He asked, turning around, looking for the source of the voice.

"In front." He immediately turned around, and saw a guy right in front of his face, hovering in the air.

He leapt back a few feet, tilting his sakkat, shielding his face. "Who're you?"

"I'm Rumi's zanpakuto. Rumi says that she wants to see your Shikai." He stated.

"So? What's that got to do with you?" Kyoraku shot back.

"I am released into my sword form. I can hear everything that goes within and near Rumi. She really wants your Shikai. We both think it's unfair. I only let you in because of Rumi and because she wanted to let you in." He added, darkly.

"Why, thank you. You must care a lot for her, right?" He asked.

"Stop changing the subject, Shunsui Kyoraku. It is unlike your personality." He suddenly was right in front of him, his hands placed on top of his two swords. "Reveal your Shikai."

And with that, he faded, along with the world he was in. He was back at Eighth's training grounds, and he had drawn his swords in front of him.

Rumi's eyes were boggling out of her head in excitement.

"Cool! So that's what your Shikai looks like! The old lady isn't so bad after all!" Rumi grinned. Kyoraku looked down at his swords, and realized that they were indeed in their Shikai form. He quickly tucked them back away, and went over to Nanao.

"I want you to teach her the basics of Kido, Nanao-chan. She should know the basics, at least, even if she isn't interested." He grinned.

"Yes, sir." She said.

"I'll leave her to you then, for the time being. I need to go to talk to Ukitake and Shinji." He informed. She nodded as he disappeared.

"Ne, Nana-chan, where did Shun-Shun go?" Rumi asked.

"He went to go talk to a few people. Now, put your sword away and we'll practice the basics of Kido."

* * *

Kyoraku made it to Fifth Squad's barracks and knocked at Shinji's door.

"Come in." Came the voice. He slid open the door, finding the blonde doing piles of paperwork, Hinamori by his side.

"Kyoraku-Taicho!" She said, surprised.

"Hello, Hinamori-san. Shinji-san, may I speak to you outside for a couple of moments?" He asked.

Shinji finished signing a couple of documents, then got up. "Hinamori, I'll be back."

"Hai. Have a good talk, sir!" Hinamori said.

The two Captains left the room, and into a secluded area of Squad Five's grounds where they could talk in private.

"What is it, Kyoraku?" Shinji asked.

"Rumi-chan just showed me her inner world through her zanpakuto. Has she ever done that to you before?" He asked.

"Her inner world with her zanpakuto...? No. I've never heard of that. She rarely took out her zanpakuto; if she did, then the battle must've been intense, or she just used it to threaten others. She usually fights Hakuda style or with her weird techniques that she uses, or her dojutsu." Shinji answered.

"Hmm... Why would she show it to me? And her zanpakuto did not appear friendly at all. And she mentioned that she had two." He said.

"Kyoraku, you're digging deeper than I thought you would. She's so open, and so vulnerable ever since she lost her memories... I'm sure if she was back to normal, she wouldn't even had told you that she even had a zanpakuto, let alone two." Shinji answered.

"It's weird. She's so... Open and childlike with me. She's not all like the girl that saved Hinamori and the others." Kyoraku observed.

"She's lost her memories. Once she's gained them back, she'll change." Shinj said.

"I mean, I'm not complaining about the way she is now, but I just want her to have a fair chance. This isn't fair for her, how her memories got erased... Anyways, she got me to show her my Shikai." Kyoraku said, moving on from the depressing subject.

"Your Shikai? Did she show you hers?" He asked.

"Yeah. And she called Katen Kyokotsu an old lady." He chuckled.

Shinji laughed as he looked at Kyoraku's dual swords. "That's funny. Anyways, good luck with her, and tell me if she either looks like she regained a part of her memories or if anything like this happens again. Unlike you, I have more paperwork to do. See ya later, Kyoraku." Shinji patted his shoulder, then headed back towards his room.

Kyoraku smiled, and he shunpoed out of Fifth's barracks and back to Eighth's training grounds to see a panting and tired Rumi.

He looked towards his more composed, professional-looking lieutenant.

"Nanao-chan, why is Rumi-chan looking so tired? I thought you were teaching her just the basics." He said, tilting his sakkat back.

"I was, but she has no talent in Kido. No talent whatsoever." Nanao defended.

"No talent?" He kneeled down next to the little girl. "Rumi-chan, you okay?" He asked.

"I'm tired. And that weird Shakkaho spell is tiring. I already learned four! But Nana-chan said I had to learn Shakkaho before we went back." Rumi pouted.

"What did she learn today?" He asked, turning to Nanao.

"Sai, Sho, Byakurai and Tsuzuri Raiden." Nanao answered. "She mastered those four with ease, but Shakkaho seems to be a difficult one for her."

"So she mastered those four with ease, huh? Hmm..." He thought for a moment. "Why not teach her Sokatsui or Okasen? I think she leans more towards electricity and lightning." Kyoraku said.

"Sokatsui it is. Rumi, get up!" Nanao barked.

She whined, but got to her feet. The sleeves of her long shihkasho were burnt off, probably by Shakkaho, and Rumi's hands were smudged with black and burnt on some parts.

"Now, place your hands together and repeat after me." Nanao said.

"Fine, fine. I get the idea. You show me and I do exactly what you do." Rumi said, slightly annoyed.

"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sunless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws. Hadō number 33, Sokatsui!"

Rumi opened her mouth, reciting the incantation perfectly, after two seconds Nanao had said them.

A blueish light glowed at the palm of both the women's hands and Rumi shouted, "Hadō number 33, Sōkatsui!"

The blue balls were released, and Rumi's and Nanao's were incomparable to size. Rumi's was really big while Nanao's was standard size. The ball of energy was bigger than Kyoraku himself, and he covered both of his lieutenants as the blow hit the wooden targets, seeing that the energy shock wave might hurt them.

They were now above the training grounds, on top of a nearby roof. Rumi looked even more tired and Nanao looked surprised and was slightly blushing at how close they were.

"You two okay?" Kyoraku asked.

Rumi and Nanao nodded as they both pried themselves off of him.

"Why did you do that?" Nanao asked.

"The energy shock wave might've hurt you two. It seems like Rumi-chan here can't completely control her spells yet. The Sōkatsui was much too big, especially the one made by someone her size." Kyoraku answered.

"Sorry. I'll be more careful next time." Rumi said, the usual enthusiasm in her voice slightly gone. Kyoraku took note of this and the sudden change in the expression in her eyes. "I'm gonna go now. I promised I'd meet up with Yachiru."

"Okay. Make sure to sleep early tonight. You'll be training again tomorrow!" Kyoraku called.

She merely nodded as she left. She arrived at 11th Squad's barracks, but Yachiru had to cancel her plans, since she was going with Zaraki-Taicho to Rukongai to slay some Hollows.

"Oh. Alright. See you later then."

"Sorry, Mimi-chan. I'll make up for it with lots of udon and candy!"

Rumi giggled and waved bye as she shunpoed her way back to her barracks at the Eighth.

* * *

She took a shower and changed into her pajamas, since it was getting late. In front of her barracks was a large patch of grassland with a little pond and stepping stones. She hung her legs off of the ground, swinging them as she rested her arms in between the little fence bars as she began thinking.

That blue light that she had made had made her see.

She remembered something.

A word, to be exact. The word was running through her head even now, and it had started right after the blast had impacted a large part of Eighth's barracks.

It was the word monster.

Monster...

Monster...

Monster...


End file.
